us ▁of ▁organ ic ▁material ▁was hed ▁into ▁the ▁cave ▁from ▁the ▁surface . ▁Another ▁source ▁of ▁nut r ition ▁is ▁bat ▁gu ano , ▁and ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁dead ▁b ats ▁that ▁happen ▁to ▁fall ▁into ▁the ▁water . ▁With ▁this ▁limited ▁and ▁err atic ▁food ▁supply , ▁the ▁fish ▁has ▁a ▁low ▁met abol ic ▁rate ▁and ▁stores ▁fat ▁in ▁its ▁t issues . ▁Bre eding ▁only ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁times ▁of ▁food ▁su ffic iency , ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁eggs ▁being ▁produced ▁at ▁one ▁time , ▁and ▁in ▁some ▁years , ▁the ▁fish ▁may ▁not ▁bre ed ▁at ▁all . ▁It ▁exhib its ▁parent al ▁care ▁by ▁keeping ▁its ▁newly ▁h atch ed ▁young ▁in ▁its ▁mouth ▁to ▁prevent ▁pred ation . ▁ ▁Status ▁Living ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁cave ▁system , ▁this ▁fish ▁is ▁vulner able ▁to ▁such ▁events ▁as ▁poll ution ▁of ▁the ▁spring ▁and ▁stream ▁that ▁flow ▁through ▁the ▁cave ; ▁this ▁puts ▁it ▁in ▁a ▁prec ari ous ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁whole ▁population ▁could ▁be ▁w ip ed ▁out ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁ad verse ▁event . ▁The ▁International ▁Union ▁for ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁Nature ▁has ▁r ated ▁its ▁conservation ▁status ▁as ▁being ▁" crit ically ▁end anger ed ". ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : C ave ▁fish ▁Category : End em ic ▁fa una ▁of ▁Mexico ▁Category : F ish ▁of ▁Central ▁America ▁Category : He pt apter idae ▁Category : F ish ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁Category : T ax onomy