Comments
Loading Dream Comments...
You must be logged in to write a comment - Log In
Artist
**Red-finned Labeo
Scientific name: Labeo lankae
Article (short):
A flash of copper and orange in Sri Lanka’s clear upland streams, the Red-finned Labeo is a freshwater gem that signals healthy rivers. Tiny, localised, and sensitive to changes in flow and water quality, it’s one of many river specialists squeezed by development and pollution — protecting this fish means protecting the whole watershed that people depend on.
Quick facts
Status (approx.): Threatened / range-restricted (national assessments list it as vulnerable/near threatened to critically threatened depending on basin).
Range: Select river basins in Sri Lanka (upland streams).
Habitat: Clear riffles and shallow rocky runs with gravel substrate.
Diet: Omnivorous — algae, benthic invertebrates, detritus.
Lifespan: Several years (small freshwater cyprinid range).
Reproduction: Seasonal spawning runs tied to flow and monsoon pulses.
Ecological role: Algae-grazing and insect control; part of aquatic food webs and indicator of water quality.
Main threats: River modification (dams, water abstraction), turbidity/pollution, invasive species, agricultural runoff.