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Beardless garra (Garra imberbis) — Cyprinidae

Beardless garra

Garra imberbis
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern

The Beardless garra (Garra imberbis) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Arabian Peninsula
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The beardless garra is a cyprinid from the Middle East, in drainages of the Arabian Peninsula. The species grows to about 9 cm and has a streamlined body and an inferior mouth with a sucker-like lower lip with which it clings to stones and scrapes off algae. Unlike many related garras it lacks barbels. It lives in clear, flowing streams and mountain waters. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Beardless garra?

The Beardless garra has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern. Sucker-disc-like lower lip to scrape algae; without barbels

Where does the Beardless garra live?

The Beardless garra lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Arabian Peninsula

How big does the Beardless garra get?

The Beardless garra grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Beardless garra dangerous to humans?

No, the Beardless garra is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Beardless garra edible?

The Beardless garra is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

English name
Beardless garra verified
Scientific name
Garra imberbis
Family
Cyprinidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Arabian Peninsula verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Algae and biofilm from stones inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Algae-scraping stream garra; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Sucker-disc-like lower lip to scrape algae; without barbels sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Garra

More from the family Cyprinidae

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