Orange River mudfish

Orange River mudfish (Labeo capensis) is a species of fish in genus Labeo. It inhabits the Orange River system of southern Africa.

Orange River mudfish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Labeo
Species:	L. capensis
Binomial name
Labeo capensis (A. Smith, 1841)
Synonyms
Abrostomus capensis A. Smith, 1841 Labeo tenuirostris Steindachner, 1894

Size

L. capensis reaches a maximum length of 500 mm (20 in)^[2] and the SA angling record is 3.83 kg (8 lb 7 oz).^[3]

Biology and ecology

L. capensis from the Fish River in Namibia

Occurs in a variety of habitats: quiet well vegetated backwaters, standing open waters, flowing open waters, sandy-rocky stretches and rocky rapids. Their preferred habitat is flowing rocky channels. Bottom feeder which grazes algae and organic detritus.^[3]

Breeds in summer, gathering in large numbers in shallow rocky rapids where eggs are laid. Larvae hatch after 3 or 4 days. May live up to 8 or 9 years.^[2]

Range

Africa: within the drainage basin of the Orange-Vaal River system to which it is possibly restricted.^[2] Introduced to the Fish River system in Eastern Cape, and the Crocodile River (West).^[4]

Uses

Occasional angling species, also used in physiological and ecological research and is a potential commercial species.^[3]