Congo blind barb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Congo blind barb |
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The Congo blind barb (also called the African blind barb) is a special type of fish. Its scientific name is Caecobarbus geertsi. In the local Kikongo language, it's called Nzonzi a mpofo, which means "blind barb." This unique cavefish is found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's the only known species in its genus, Caecobarbus.
A scientist named George Albert Boulenger first described this fish in 1921. It seems to be quite unique, as it doesn't have any close relatives in the Congo region. Even though it's called the "African blind barb," there are other blind cave fish in Africa. Two examples are the Barbopsis devecchi and Phreatichthys andruzzii from Somalia.
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Where Does the Congo Blind Barb Live?
The Congo blind barb lives only in the Thysville Cave system. This cave system is part of the lower Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's found near the Kwilu and Inkisi rivers. The area where it lives covers about 120 square kilometers (46 square miles). It is located at an altitude of about 700 to 850 meters (2,300 to 2,800 feet) above sea level.
Scientists first knew about this fish in seven caves within the Thysville system. In the 2000s, seven more caves were discovered where it also lives. The water in these caves has high levels of calcium bicarbonate. The water levels can also change a lot during floods. This means that land-dwelling cave insects are not found there.
Why Is This Fish Special?
Like many other cavefish, the Congo blind barb has some very unique features.
What Does It Look Like?
The Congo blind barb has very little color, so it looks pale whitish-pink all over. This is because it lacks pigmentation, which gives color to skin. It also has no eyes that you can see from the outside. The operculum (which covers its gills) and the lateral line area look purplish-red. This is because you can see its gills and blood veins through its skin.
Even though it has no visible eyes, the fish still avoids light. Its maximum length is about 12 centimeters (4.7 inches). There are small differences between the fish from different caves. Some have a spot on their operculum, and one type has a spiky dorsal fin.
How Does It Behave?
The Congo blind barb mainly eats food that washes into the cave during the rainy season. It might also eat small crustaceans, which are tiny water creatures. This fish can live for a long time, estimated to be 9 to 14 years. It grows slowly and probably doesn't have many babies at once. Its eggs are sticky and are laid freely. They end up in cracks and holes at the bottom of the cave, which helps protect them from other animals.
How Is It Protected?
The Congo blind barb is considered a threatened species. In the 1950s, scientists thought there were about 7,000 fish in the first seven caves. We don't have numbers for the newer cave populations. One of the first seven caves has completely disappeared. This happened because of quarrying, which is digging up limestone from the ground.
The local people consider the caves where these fish live to be sacred. This helps protect most of the caves by limiting access. A local law from 1937 also limits fishing for this species. Since 1981, the fish has been listed on CITES Appendix II. This means that international trade of the Congo blind barb is limited. Before this listing, many of these fish were caught and sold for freshwater aquariums. Now, very few are exported.
Today, the biggest danger to the Congo blind barb is habitat loss. More and more people are living in the area, and farming near the caves can cause dirt and pollution to get into the water. The region used to be covered in rainforest and grassland, which helped stop erosion. Other possible threats include changes to the water flow in the small rivers that feed the caves. Also, Clarias catfish, which eat other fish, are found in some of the places where the Congo blind barb lives.
