Chuy Ostroluchka
Status: 2 [CR: C]. Possibly already extinct in Kyrgyzstan, an endemic subspecies [10].
Brief description of the adult form. A small fish (up to 18 cm) with a greenish-yellow back and silvery-white sides. There is a keel without scales behind the abdominal fins. The first ray in the dorsal fin is a long smooth spine [7, 10].
General distribution and in the country. From the lower reaches of the Chu River to Bishkek [7, 10].
Habitat. River rapids and backwaters with gravel-sandy bottoms.
Population. The subspecies is rare. In recent years, it has not been caught in control catches.
Life cycle (lifecycle). The spawning period is extended from late April to late July. The eggs are laid in calm sections of the river with sandy-stony bottoms. Females measuring 10.5—13.6 cm and weighing 20—40 g produce between 2400 and 8800 eggs. It primarily feeds on detritus, along with which it ingests worms, crustaceans, insect larvae, and filamentous algae. It has no commercial value [6, 7].
Limiting factors. Unknown, possibly the construction of the Tashatkul Reservoir, pollution of river waters, pressure from acclimatized species (sleeper, snakehead, etc.).
Breeding. Not conducted.
Existing conservation measures. None taken.
Recommended conservation measures. Prohibition of amateur fishing, protection of water bodies from pollution. Establishing the population size of the subspecies, distribution across water bodies, and clarifying its status.
Uchtoo Kanat
Eastern Ostroluchka
Capoetobrama kuschakewitschi (Kessel)
Status: Category 2 [CR: C], critically endangered in Kyrgyzstan, narrowly distributed subspecies of Amudar-Syrdarya endemic representative of the monotypic relic genus. The subspecies is spread in the Chu River from downstream Georgievka village; in Amudarya, Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya, Zeravshan, and Syrdarya Rivers — different subspecies. This small bottom-feeding fish (up to 18 cm length) populates shallows and backwaters with pebbly and sandy grounds; no value for fishery. Spawning time is from end of April up to end of July, females weighing 20-40 g have a fertility of 2.4—8.8 thousand eggs. Stock in the country is extremely small, with no records over the last years. Possible limiting factors: construction of Tashat-Kul Weir, water pollution, invasive enemies and competitors (sleeper, snakehead, etc.). Neither bred nor protected in Kyrgyzstan at present time. It is necessary for the species conservation to prohibit amateur fishing, prevent water pollution, as well as to specify the abundance and distribution.