NANFA-L-- Hitchhikers on Hydrilla

Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS (Jan.J.Hoover at erdc.usace.army.mil)
Mon, 24 Oct 2005 17:47:27 -0500

A friend who cultivates aquatic plants was cleaning out a hydrilla tank this
afternoon and found fish living in it. I came over and dipped out 20 bluefin
killifish (Lucania goodei): two subadults and 18 half-grown juveniles. My
guess is that a batch of eggs came in on the weeds and hatched shortly after
the tank was planted a couple of months ago. This is the third time now that
I have obtained bluefin killies in this manner. Today, though, there was
also a surprise: 1 tiny golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus). This is the
first time that I have obtained that species as a hitchhiker on plants.

Dessication resistance has been documented for the eggs of several
killifishes, including mummichogs (F. heteroclitus), but I do not know if its
been demonstrated for these two species.

To view a beautiful photograph of a bluefin killifsh taken by NANFA's own Bob
Bock, see
http://jonahsaquarium.com/piclgoodei03.htm

- Jan Hoover
Vicksburg, Mississippi
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