Silver Labeo
| Silver labeo | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Genus: | Labeo |
| Species: | L. ruddi |
| Binomial name | |
| Labeo ruddi Boulenger, 1907[1] | |
Silver labeo (Labeo ruddi) is a species of fish in the genus Labeo.
Habitat
They can be found the Limpopo, Komati, and Cunene Rivers in Southern Africa.[1]
The fish prefers deep pools with muddy bottoms and slow-flowing parts of the warmer rivers in which it lives. They feed on green algae, detritus and diatomes. The fish migrate upstream in shoals during spring and summer to be able to breed. A large volume of small eggs get laid and the young fish grow up in shallow, quite waters. [2]
Appearance
The fish has two pairs of tentacles around the mouth. Sub-adult fish has a black spot on the base of the tailfin. The adults are normally silver coloured. Usually tubercles are absent.
They reache a length up to 300 mm. The South African angling record stands at 0.93 kg and that of Zimbabwe at 0.474 kg.
References
- A Complete Guide to the FRESHWATER FISHES of Southern Africa. Paul Skelton. 2001. ISBN 978-1-86872-643-1