Alburnus belvica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alburnus belvica |
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Alburnus
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belvica
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The Alburnus belvica, also known as the Prespa bleak, is a type of ray-finned fish. It belongs to the Cyprinidae family, which includes carps and minnows. You can find this fish in Lake Prespa and the nearby Small Prespa Lake, both located in the Balkans. In North Macedonia, people call it nivichka (нивичка).
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About the Prespa Bleak
The Prespa bleak is a small fish that lives for a short time. It prefers freshwater lakes and slow-moving rivers in flat, low-lying areas. Adult Prespa bleaks eat tiny invertebrates, plants, and plankton. They often swim together in large groups when they are looking for food.
How They Reproduce
These fish spawn (lay their eggs) in the smaller rivers that flow into the lakes. They also spawn along the lake shores. They choose spots with pebbles and gravel where waves break. If they are spawning in rivers, they travel upstream at night to reach their spawning grounds. Spawning usually happens in May and June. When they are not spawning, adult Prespa bleaks live in the open water.
What Makes Them Special?
The Prespa bleak has some unique features that help tell it apart from other similar fish. It has more gill rakers than most other Alburnus species. Gill rakers are small, comb-like structures that help fish filter food from the water. The Prespa bleak has 29-32 gill rakers, while most others have a maximum of 26.
It also has more scales along its lateral line. The lateral line is a special sensory organ that helps fish detect movement and vibrations in the water. The Prespa bleak has 52-57 scales on its lateral line, compared to a maximum of 54 in other species. In Lake Prespa, this fish can grow up to 180 millimeters (about 7 inches) long.
Protecting the Prespa Bleak
The Prespa bleak is currently listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. This means it faces a risk of becoming endangered. Its habitat is threatened by things like water pollution, too much fishing, and taking too much water from the lakes.
It also faces competition from other fish species that are not native to the area. These include the Lepomis gibbosus (also known as the pumpkinseed sunfish) and the Pseudorasbora parva (or stone moroko).
Despite these challenges, the number of Prespa bleaks is actually growing in both Lake Prespa and Small Lake Prespa. Scientists think this might be because the lakes are experiencing eutrophication. This means there are more nutrients in the water, which leads to more plankton. Since Prespa bleaks eat plankton, this extra food helps their population grow. Also, because they have a short lifespan, they can reproduce quickly, which helps their numbers increase.
