Fun Bonga Fish Facts For Kids

Are you a fish lover and want to learn interesting facts about cool fishes like Pacific salmon and rainbow trouts?

Check out this amazing fish, the bonga fish which is also commonly called the bonga shad. The bonga shad or the smoked bonga can be found in places like Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola.

Though these are freshwater fishes and cover habitats like brackish water and estuaries, the bonga shad can also be found in coastal areas and near shores.

Just like all sorts of bony fishes, the bonga shad too has been classified under the class Actinopterygii and falls under the Clupeidae family. Ethmalosa fimbriata is the scientific name of this fish, and this is the only fish that belongs to the Ethmalosa genus.

Smoking the bonga shad is a wonderful cooking technique that is practiced by the people of The Gambia where this fish is a staple food for many people.

For more relatable content, check out these threadfin rainbowfish facts and humphead wrasse facts for kids.

Bonga Fish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a bonga fish?

As evident from its very name, the bonga fish (Ethmalosa fimbriata) is a type of fish that belongs to the family Clupeidae like shads and herrings.

What class of animal does a bonga fish belong to?

Just like all other bony fishes on our planet, the bonga fish too belongs to the class Actinopterygii of the Animalia kingdom.

How many bonga fish are there in the world?

The exact population of the bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) is currently undetermined according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The population trend has been unknown over the recent years as there has been a constant increase and decrease in the population of this species.

However, since these fishes have been listed as a species of Least Concern, we can assume that there is no imminent threat to these fishes.

Where does a bonga fish live?

The bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) is found in West Africa. These fishes can also be found in countries like Angola, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Dakhla.

What is a bonga fish's habitat?

These fishes can be found in a wide range of marine or aquatic habitats. These habitats include backwaters, lagoons, and estuaries as well as along the coasts. Though the bonga shad prefers saline waters, these fishes are freshwater fishes and can be found in lakes, streams, and the West African brackish water systems.

Who does the bonga fish live with?

Owing to very limited data and research work, it is currently unknown whether the bonga shad fish is a solitary animal or lives in groups.

How long does a bonga fish live?

The lifespan of the bonga shad is unknown. However, we can make an assumption of their lifespan based on the lifecycle of the family Clupeidae, to which they belong.

Few species of the Clupeidae family can live up to almost 20 years. This means we can conclude that the bonga shad probably has a lifespan that is less than 20 years.

How do they reproduce?

Though the bonga shad is a freshwater fish, they tend to breed in waters that have salinity in them. These fishes are known to breed all throughout the year, however, their peak mating seasons have been observed in the months of March to July, October, and November. These fishes spawn in either rivers, estuaries, or in saline seawater.

What is their conservation status?

The IUCN Red List has listed these fishes as a species of Least Concern.

The population trend of these fishes is currently unknown as the population of the bonga shad has been on the increase and decrease over the recent years.

Though the exact population of the bonga shad is also unknown, it should also be noted that human activities like habitat loss, climate change, and pollution have played a vital role in the steady depletion of this species.

Proper conservation and protective measures should be undertaken to preserve these fishes.

Bonga Fish Fun Facts

What do bonga fish look like?

These fishes have a flattened and compressed body while the belly contains many scutes. The gill rakes of the bonga shad are fine and long in shape and are numerous in number.

These gill rakers are bent upwards and are almost three times as large as gill filaments. These fishes are silvery-white to gray in color while the fins can be yellowish or golden.

*We've been unable to source an image of bonga fish and have used an image of twaid shad instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of bonga fish, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

How cute are they?

These fishes are quite cute looking fishes and can be considered as pretty looking fishes. For marine biologists, these fishes look quite adorable.

How do they communicate?

Since the bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) is a bony fish, they too communicate with other fishes just like other bony fishes. These fishes use gestures and motions as their primary means of communication. They can also communicate using spinal vibrations and by the use of a special chemical which is called a pheromone.

How big is a bonga fish?

The length of these fishes on average is around 9.8 in (25 cm). In comparison with sockeye salmon, the latter is almost two times the length of the former.

How fast can a bonga fish swim?

Owing to very little information about these western African fishes, the exact speed at which these fishes swim is currently unknown. However, since these fishes reside in a wide range of habitats like seas, rivers, lakes, and lagoons, we can assume that they are averagely fast.

They swim with and against stream and sea currents so they must be competent swimmers.

How much does a bonga fish weigh?

These fishes tend to have a weight of around 2.2 lb (1 kg), In comparison, the brown trout is 2.2 -44.1 lb (1-20 kg), which is heavier than the bonga fish in weight.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Just like any other fish on the globe, there are no distinct names for male and female fishes. They are just referred to as male fish and female fish.

What would you call a baby bonga fish?

All baby fishes are known as fry. In the case of a baby bonga fish, it will be known as a bonga fish fry.

What do they eat?

The bonga shad is a herbivorous fish. As a result, these fishes are known to consume only plant matter and do not feed on animal flesh. The bonga shad feeds on diatoms and phytoplankton that are found abundantly in their habitat of rivers, lakes, lagoons, backwaters, and the sea.

Are they dangerous?

No, the bonga shad is not a dangerous fish and poses no harm to humans or other plants and animals that share their habitat. As these fishes are not dangerous, they are caught by humans for their flesh.

Would they make a good pet?

No, it would certainly be a bad idea to keep these fishes as pets in your homes. These are wild fishes that only survive in wild climatic conditions and their habitats. The bonga shad lives in rivers, seas, estuaries, and coastal areas. Recreating these conditions in your home or in your fish tank would be very tricky.

Did you know...

The bonga shad is an endemic fish and is only found in West Africa.

How many eggs do bonga fish lay?

Owing to very limited data and research work being available, the clutch size of this fish is unknown. However, the smoked bonga prefers to breed in saline waters like coastlines of the sea rather than brackish waters, lagoons, and estuaries.

Is the bonga fish edible?

Yes, the bonga shad is an edible fish and is consumed by people in western Africa in countries like The Gambia and Nigeria.

The cooked fish is considered a delicacy and is consumed by people both in the dry and smoked form of cooking. This fish can be found easily in the market.

The setup of a fishery in Africa and other high-profile fisheries that cover Nigeria, The Gambia, and the western Sahara in the dry season has led people to feed on this fish that has a high content of both protein and minerals.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our longcomb sawfish fun facts and big skate surprising facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable tropical fish coloring pages.

Main image by Chrisi1964

Second image by Hans Hillewaert

* We've been unable to source an image of bonga fish and have used an image of an Atlantic mackerel instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of bonga fish, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.