Labeo bata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Labeo bata |
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The Labeo bata (which means "bātā" in Bengali) is a type of fish. It belongs to the Labeo group of fish. People often call it the bata fish. This fish naturally lives in the waters of India and Bangladesh.
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About the Bata Fish
The bata fish is known for being a fun fish to catch. Many people also enjoy eating it because of its good taste. It is a slow-moving fish. This means it can get nervous around very active or aggressive fish.
Size and Appearance
The bata fish can grow to be about 25 to 35 centimeters long. Its body is long and slender. The top part of its body is more curved than the bottom. Its snout, which is like its nose, sticks out a little past its mouth. Sometimes, you can see small pores on its snout.
It has a pair of tiny whiskers, called maxillary barbells. These are usually hidden inside a fold near its mouth. The fish does not have any hard support in its lips.
Colors of the Bata Fish
The upper half of the bata fish is usually bluish or dark. The bottom half is shiny and silvery. The gill cover, which protects its gills, is a light orange color.
What the Bata Fish Eats
When they are young, bata fish mostly eat tiny crustaceans. They also eat insect larvae. As they get older, their diet changes. Adult bata fish eat protozoa, which are very small living things. They also eat algae and even tiny fish.
Where the Bata Fish Lives
You can find the bata fish all over India. This includes areas like West Bengal, Odisha, and Tripura. It also lives throughout Bangladesh. Its favorite places to live are ponds, rivers, and small streams.
How the Bata Fish Grows
Scientists have studied how the bata fish grows. They look at rings on its scales, much like rings on a tree. They also measure how many fish are a certain length.
A bata fish can reach about 13 centimeters long by its first birthday. By its second year, it might be around 19 centimeters. It continues to grow, reaching about 36 centimeters by its seventh year. The fish grows fastest in its first two years. After that, its growth slows down. Both male and female bata fish grow at about the same speed.
Young fish grow based on how much food they eat. For older fish, growth is also affected by when they are ready to reproduce.
Is the Bata Fish in Danger?
Overall, the bata fish is considered a species of "least concern" by conservation groups. This means it is not currently at high risk of disappearing. However, one study in the Khulna District of Bangladesh found that the species was endangered there. This is because people are farming a lot of fish in that area.
