Mountain brooks are nonparasitic lampreys, which means they live 6-7 years
as larval forms, called ammocoetes, buried in the sand feeding on detritus
and microorganisms. Then, in their 6th or 7th spring, they mature into
adults. They don't eat like their parasitic cousins. In fact, their
digestive systems degenerate. They just have one thing on their mind. Sex.
Death follows soon thereafter.
So your guy is going to bag his head against the wall of the tank. "Hey,
where are all the chicks?" Then he's going to die.
Bummer.
Chris Scharpf
Baltimore
> From: Derek Parr <derekparr-in-earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
> Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 01:04:52 -0400
> To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
> Subject: NANFA-L-- brook lamprey digging holes
>
> I picked up a mountain brook lamprey a couple weeks ago on a trip to the
> southern French Broad River Basin area here in NC. Crazy little
> creature. These last few days he's been digging several holes in the
> sand/gravel. Took me a while to figure out where the moving gravel
> sounds were coming from since he only does it-in-night. Its pretty
> interesting to watch. He holds himself down with his sucker mouth, then
> vigorously fans an area with his tail.
>
> He moved too much to get a good photo, but here is one anyway.
> http://www.derekparr.com/stuff/digginglamprey.jpg
>
> I'd love to hear what ya'll know about these creatures and perhaps what
> s/he is doing? Maybe this has something to do with his next phase in
> life? or death?
>
> So far the info I've found on the net has been farely limited. It seems
> that not a whole lot is known about these guys.
>
> -derek parr
> chapel hill, nc
> cape fear river basin
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