scholarly journals Successful collection and captive rearing of wild-spawned larval Klamath suckers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Day ◽  
Ron Barnes ◽  
Darrick Weissenfluh ◽  
J. Kirk Groves ◽  
Kent Russell
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Fish Health ◽  
Endangered Fish ◽  
Klamath River ◽  
Recovery Programs ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Klamath River Basin ◽  
Captive Propagation

Shortnose Chasmistes brevirostris and Lost River Suckers Deltistes luxatus endemic to the Klamath River Basin on the California-Oregon border have experienced dramatic population declines in parallel with many other Catostomid species. Captive propagation has become a key element of many endangered fish recovery programs, although there is little evidence of their success in restoring or recovering fish populations. A novel rearing program for Klamath suckers was initiated in 2016 with the goal of developing a husbandry strategy that better balances the ecological, genetic, and demographic risks associated with captive propagation. We collected 4,306 wild-spawned Klamath sucker larvae from a major spawning tributary May-June 2016 and reared them at a geothermal facility established through a partnership with a local landowner and aquaculture expert. Mortality during collection was less than 1%. Larvae were reared in glass aquaria for 17-78 days until reaching approximately 30 mm total length, upon which they were moved to round fiberglass tanks for 14-46 days or until reaching approximately 60 mm total length. Overall survival of larvae to ponding for final growout was 71%. Larval tank rearing survival was 98% for 37 days until an isolated fish health incident affected three aquarium populations, reducing survival to transfer to 75%. Survival after transfer to round fiberglass tanks for 14-46 days was 94%. This study outlines the first successful collection and early life history husbandry of wild-spawned endangered Klamath suckers that we are aware of.

Captive Propagation and Early Life History of the Yazoo Darter (Etheostoma raneyi)

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal L. Ruble ◽  
Ken A. Sterling ◽  
Melvin L. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Captive Propagation

Early development of eel-tailed catfish, Tandanus tandanus (Mitchell) (Teleostei : Plotosidae), with validation of daily otolith increment formation

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. R. Burndred ◽  
B. J. Cockayne ◽  
D. C. Lou
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Length Relationship ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Otolith Increment ◽  
Increment Formation ◽  
Nest Depth

Eel-tailed catfish, Tandanus tandanus, have recently experienced widespread population declines in eastern Australia; with some southern populations facing the risk of extinction, the management and conservation of Queensland populations should be considered a priority. There is a lack of sound, scientific knowledge surrounding the species’ reproductive patterns and early life-history requirements. To assist in clarifying the influence of changes to the natural environment on the reproductive ecology of T. tandanus, we investigated their early life history using naturally fertilised eggs and larvae from a wild population. Nest depth ranged from 0.20 m to 1.35 m, with in situ temperatures between 15.1°C and 29.9°C, and in situ velocities from 0.00 to 0.52 ms–1. Eggs ranged in diameter from 2.6 to 4.0 mm throughout development, and preservation of eggs in ethanol caused significant shrinkage (mean 18.9%). Hatching took 4–7 days (mean 5.29 days; 15.7–28.0°C). Larvae collected from nests ranged in length from 5.1 mm to 15.3 mm SL, and in age from one day old to 16 days old. Larvae are likely to actively disperse from their nest at ~16 days old, as they approach juvenile metamorphosis. Daily otolith increment formation was validated up to 28 days after hatching; and sagittal otoliths were used to develop an age–length relationship for larvae. These results can assist researchers in estimating the timing of critical recruitment events, and investigating how the species’ early life history is influenced by environmental conditions.

Conservation, Ecology, and Management of Catfish: The Second International Symposium

2011 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Interstitial Space ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Flathead Catfish

<em>Abstract</em>.—Little is known about habitat requirements of juvenile flathead catfish <em>Pylodictis olivaris</em>. Previous studies indicate use of coarse substrates associated with riffle habitats in streams; however, limited information on microhabitat characteristics associated with habitat selection exists. To further our understanding of early life history habitat for flathead catfish, we used polyvinyl chloride half tubes (i.e., tubes cut in half longitudinally) of six different diameters (range, 13–76 mm) and depths (range, 25–152 mm) to simulate interstitial spaces provided by coarse substrates and determine (1) whether juvenile flathead catfish selected for interstice size, (2) relative importance of interstitial diameter and depth, and (3) if interstitial space size selection was related to fish body size. A total of 1,316 selection trials regarding interstitial diameter, depth, and the interaction of these characteristics was conducted using juvenile flathead catfish ranging in total length (TL) from 15 to 128 mm. Utilization of interstice diameters and depths was nonrandom (i.e., selection was occurring). Selection of interstice diameter was positively related to fish body size (i.e., total length), whereas all sizes of juvenile flathead catfish most often selected the greatest depth of interstitial space offered. We observed an ontogenetic shift in relative importance of interstice diameter and depth during interaction trials. Flathead catfish less than 40 mm TL selected for interstitial diameter, fish between 41 and 60 mm TL selected for both interstitial characteristics, whereas individuals larger than 60 mm TL selected for interstitial depth. Results of our study are among the first to identify microhabitat-scale characteristics that influence habitat selection by early life history stages of this species.

Prey tell: what quillback rockfish early life history traits reveal about their survival in encounters with juvenile coho salmon

2020 ◽  
Vol 650 ◽  
pp. 7-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
HW Fennie ◽  
S Sponaugle ◽  
EA Daly ◽  
RD Brodeur
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Coho Salmon ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Otolith Microstructure Analysis ◽  
Pelagic Juvenile

Predation is a major source of mortality in the early life stages of fishes and a driving force in shaping fish populations. Theoretical, modeling, and laboratory studies have generated hypotheses that larval fish size, age, growth rate, and development rate affect their susceptibility to predation. Empirical data on predator selection in the wild are challenging to obtain, and most selective mortality studies must repeatedly sample populations of survivors to indirectly examine survivorship. While valuable on a population scale, these approaches can obscure selection by particular predators. In May 2018, along the coast of Washington, USA, we simultaneously collected juvenile quillback rockfish Sebastes maliger from both the environment and the stomachs of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch. We used otolith microstructure analysis to examine whether juvenile coho salmon were age-, size-, and/or growth-selective predators of juvenile quillback rockfish. Our results indicate that juvenile rockfish consumed by salmon were significantly smaller, slower growing at capture, and younger than surviving (unconsumed) juvenile rockfish, providing direct evidence that juvenile coho salmon are selective predators on juvenile quillback rockfish. These differences in early life history traits between consumed and surviving rockfish are related to timing of parturition and the environmental conditions larval rockfish experienced, suggesting that maternal effects may substantially influence survival at this stage. Our results demonstrate that variability in timing of parturition and sea surface temperature leads to tradeoffs in early life history traits between growth in the larval stage and survival when encountering predators in the pelagic juvenile stage.

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