Borax Lake chub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Borax Lake chub |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Siphateles
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| Species: |
boraxobius
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| Synonyms | |
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Gila boraxobius Williams & Bond, 1980 |
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The Borax Lake chub (Siphateles boraxobius) is a very rare fish that lives only in the waters around Borax Lake. This small lake is found in the Alvord basin in Harney County, Oregon, USA. This special fish is the only type of fish that calls Borax Lake home!
Contents
What Does the Borax Lake Chub Look Like?
This small fish usually grows to about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. Some can even reach up to 11 centimeters (4.3 inches). Its back is often a dark olive green color. The sides of its body are shiny and silver.
You can see a dark line running from its gill cover all the way to its tail. It also has tiny dark spots called melanophores scattered on its body. The fins are clear, but they have more dark spots on the rays of the dorsal fin (top fin) and tail. The first four rays of its pectoral fins (side fins) also have these spots.
The Borax Lake chub looks a bit like the Alvord chub. However, the Borax Lake chub has a longer, wider, and deeper head. It also has bigger eyes. Its caudal peduncle (the narrow part of the body before the tail fin) is also more slender.
What Does the Borax Lake Chub Eat?
The Borax Lake chub enjoys a variety of foods. It eats tiny insect larvae, like those from midges. It also munches on tiny water plants called diatoms. Other small water creatures like copepods and ostracods are also on its menu. Sometimes, it even eats insects that fall into the water from the land.
This fish usually finds its food by digging around in the bottom of the lake. But if it needs to, it will also eat things floating on the surface of the water.
Where Does the Borax Lake Chub Live?
The Borax Lake chub is the only fish species living in the waters of Borax Lake. This lake is unique because it's fed by hot springs. Parts of the lake can get very warm, sometimes reaching about 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
However, the average temperature of the lake is usually between 16 and 35 degrees Celsius (61 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit). The chubs are smart! They stay away from the hottest parts of the lake. Instead, they prefer the cooler water that flows out of the lake.
Protecting the Borax Lake Chub
For a while, the Borax Lake chub was in danger. There were plans to develop geothermal energy near the lake. This development could have dried up parts of the fish's home.
Luckily, in the year 2000, a special law was passed. It's called the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act. This law made the area around Borax Lake a protected zone. This means no one can explore for geothermal energy or do mining there. This act helps keep the Borax Lake chub's home safe and ensures its continued existence.
Images for kids
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Aerial photo of Borax Lake in Eastern Oregon
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Panorama of Borax Lake, Oregon, USA
See also
In Spanish: Gila boraxobius para niños
