Typical of most cyprinids, the daska is a small, silvery-brown fish, sometimes with a slight purplish sheen in the light, but no remarkable colours or pattern. The fins and tail are virtually transparent, and the tail is forked.
The daska is a short-lived species (2) with a high level of resilience, capable of quickly re-establishing depleted sub-populations (1). Spawning occurs from December to March, and the diet includes invertebrates and plants (2).
The daska is threatened by water extraction and pollution within its range, although in general the population is considered safe with no apparent long-term decline. While some local sub-populations have been severely impacted, many are expected to recover if conditions improve, because of this species’ ability to quickly rebound from depleted numbers (1).
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