Hatchery Ponds Research Articles

Propagation of Northern Pike

The procedures and techniques involved in the artificial propagation of northern pike (Esox lucius) at the Valley City, North Dakota, National Fish Hatchery are discussed. Twenty million to 40 million northern pike eggs are taken from wild fish each spring. The eggs are incubated in Downing-type glass jars and the “swim-up” fry are stocked in hatchery ponds at the rate of 100,000 per acre. The use of filtered water for incubation purposes increased the percentage of hatch from 20 percent in 1958 to 78 percent in 1959. Hatchery ponds are filled with water from the Sheyenne River and fertilized 2 weeks prior to the introduction of free-swimming pike. The fry grow to a length of 2-2 1/2 inches over a period of 4-6 weeks in the hatchery ponds. Fingerlings are harvested near the end of their plankton-feeding stage to prevent serious losses from cannibalism. Pond yields vary from 0 to 90,000 fingerlings per acre with an average of 35,000 during the 1959 and 1960 production years.

Weight of Fish Per Cubic Foot of Water in Hatchery Troughs and Ponds

(1955). Weight of Fish Per Cubic Foot of Water in Hatchery Troughs and Ponds. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 117-118.

Growth and Habits of the Redeye Bass

A study of the redeye bass, Micropterus coosae Hubbs and Bailey, was conducted on Sheedˈs Creek in southeastern Tennessee during the years 1950 through 1953. This fish is common in Georgia and Alabama and also occurs in several small streams in Tennessee. The redeye bass is primarily a fish of small upland streams and is seldom found in lakes or ponds. In comparison with other black basses, the redeye bass has an average life span, grows slowly, and is relatively slender. Of the 6,363, redeye bass scales examined 82 percent were regenerated. This occurrence of scale regeneration was higher than in 13 other species of fish in eastern Tennessee streams. This report on the redeye bass includes information on the standard length-total length relationship, length-weight relationship, growth rate, parasites, food habits, spawning habits, fecundity, maturity, distribution, migration, and angling importance. The redeye bass has been propogated successfully in Tennessee hatchery ponds and has been introduced experimentally into 10 small streams of middle Tennessee that have proven to be unsuitable for either warm-water game fish or trout.

Methods and Techniques Used in Trap-Cropping Largemouth Black Bass from Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Hatchery Ponds

Methods and Techniques Used in Trap-Cropping Largemouth Black Bass from Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Hatchery Ponds

Observations on the Spawning Habits of the Northern Pike, Esox lucius, in Northwestern Ohio

THE location of large spawning runs of northern pike, Esox lucius Linnaeus, in streams tributary to Lake Erie, and the increased demand for predatory fish in Ohio's fisheries program, have awakened an interest in this species in Ohio. The pike was known in northwestern Ohio prior to 1900 and was present in great numbers, according to older residents. Many were taken in those days by means of spears, seines and pitch forks. Throughout this area their presence, only during the spawning runs, resulted in a lack of interest in the fish on the part of present-day sport fishermen. In the spring of 1949, 229 northern pike were netted from tributaries of Lake Erie and placed in a 5.33-acre pond at the St. Marys State Fish Farm. Also, 821 breeder pike from these streams were stocked in Nettle Lake, Williams County, Ohio, during the 3 years 1947-1949. Observations on spawning were made at the hatchery pond, at Nettle Lake, and at several streams in northwestern Ohio. Data on the incubation of eggs were obtained from eggs held in aquaria, in bell jars at the hatchery at the Toledo Zoo Aquarium, and in special screen hatchery troughs suspended in the abovementioned hatchery pond. Observations on the spawning runs of northern pike and on actual spawning seem to indicate that the object of the migration is to find marsh-like conditions for spawning. In Nettle Lake, and in East Harbor which is a bay of Lake Erie, northern pike spawned in marsh-like areas within the lakes even though tributary streams were readily accessible. No migration was noted in Nettle Lake except into and out of the marshes. Nine spawning groups were observed in the act of spawning in a marsh at Nettle Lake within 75 feet of the mouth of a tributary stream. Spawning runs up numerous streams of northwestern Ohio are observed every spring, many of them by Mr. Harold Wascko, Curator of the Toledo Zoo Aquarium. The facts obtained indicate that the chief factor in the control of this migration is the ice cover on the stream riffles. The open winter of 1948-1949 permitted free passage of the adults throughout the streams, and breeders were observed in early February in small tributaries of Lake Erie. No ditches seemed too small for the pike, provided that some vegetation or debris, with enough water to partially cover the breeders, was present. Males predominated in the early upstream movements, as shown by test nets, and females were more prevalent in the latter part of the run. Carbine (1942) found a similar difference in the migration dates for the sexes. Net catches on spawning runs indicated that the greatest movement of breeders occurred at night. All spawning groups were observed to spawn at a depth of 20 inches or less, with a majority of the spawning taking place in less than 10 inches of water-as compared to 6 to 18 inches found by Williamson (1942). Many large females were observed to spawn with their backs out of water. In most instances where spawning was seen, the water was clear and the eggs could

Sterilization of a Trout Hatchery Pond with Chlorine

Sterilization of a Trout Hatchery Pond with Chlorine

Rates of Survival and Growth of Bluegill Yolk Fry Stocked at Different Intensities in Hatchery Ponds

Data gathered during two summers from five ponds at the Wolf Lake Hatchery near Kalamazoo, Michigan, showed little correlation between the rate of survival and the intensity of stocking bluegill yolk fry. Ponds stocked at rates that ranged from 2,500 to 323,000 yolk fry per acre were drained at the end of the first summer, the first winter, and the second summer. Not more than 40 percent of the fry stocked in the spring survived the first summer in any pond. By the end of the second summer as few as 1 percent and not more than 20 percent of the original stock remained. Fish that were stocked at lesser intensities grew faster than those stocked more heavily. Competition from Iowa darters apparently seriously impaired the survival of bluegill yolk fry in one pond during the first summer. In another pond green sunfish, that entered as young of the year through the water supply during the first summer, became dominant over the bluegills in number and total weight by the end of the second summer. Under the most favorable conditions for growth (little competition and ample food) bluegill yolk fry grew so rapidly that they spawned when 12 months old and reached an average total length of 6 inches in 17 months.

Growth of Some Lake Trout, Cristivomer n. namaycush, of Known Age in Inland Michigan Lakes

T HE lake trout, Cristivomer n. namaycush, during the past four decades has been introduced into a number of inland Michigan lakes. The earlier plantings consisting of fry or fingerlings enjoyed a variable, and for the most part, doubtful success. In recent years, a re-introduction of the species using 2-year-old fish was effected in selected lakes then known to possess environmental characteristics favorable to survival. Some measure of the success of these latter plantings with respect to growth, condition and survival was desired, and accordingly certain plantings of lake trout were fin-clipped for future identification. Recaptures of mature survivors of these plantings have not been abundant, but a sufficient number have been recovered to date to present a fairly accurate picture of their growth in three inland lakes. A search for comparative growth material revealed a striking paucity of age data of any description for the lake trout on record at the present time. A more or less comprehensive study has been completed by Royce (MS)' for several eastern lakes in which his age determinations wete made by the scale reading method. Cooper and Fuller (1945) give the ages of 244 specimens from two Maine lakes, and Juday and Schneberger (1930) record the ages of 48 specimens from Wisconsin waters, all of which were aged from the scales. Various writers (Eddy, 1941; Greeley, 1936; Neave and Bajkov, 1929; Van Oosten, 1943) have recorded in popular and technical accounts the ages of scattered single specimens and small collections. Growth over known periods of time has been recorded in several instances. Surber (1933) reported on the growth of 2,000 lake trout through their fifth year of life in the ponds of the Lanesboro Hatchery in Minnesota. Smith and Van Oosten (1940) obtained age data on this species based on the returns of tagging experiments carried on in Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, the data they obtained were based on very few specimens. Fry and Kennedy (1937) suggested ages, derived from the modes of a length-frequency diagram, for lake trout of varying lengths from Lake Opeongo, Ontario. Considerable difficulty in aging lake trout by the scale method has been experienced by several investigators working with this species and this may account to a certain extent for the limited amount of comprehensive age data that have been presented (Applegate, MS).2 The materials for the present study consisted of scale samples taken from 247 lake trout of known age. Only 89 of these fish were mature specimens. Of the balance, 99 specimens were from sample lots of immature lake trout held in hatchery ponds to determine extent of fin regeneration after clipping; 46 were of a planting sample of 9-month-old hatchery-raised fish;

Observations on the Biology of the Dwarf Crawfish, Cambarellus shufeldtii (Faxon)

Cambarellus shufeldtii and other small crawfishes may assume importance in southern fresh-water fisheries biology as a year-round source of small-sized forage food in hatchery ponds and small lakes. They fill all of the requirements stated by Viosca (1937) for suitable forage species, i.e., they have a long breeding season, are of non-migratory habits (as far as is known), are the inhabitants of ponds, and are primarily of vegetarian habits. Because of their small size there is little danger that they will roil the water, burrow deeply into the levees, or extensively destroy the larger vegetation, and finally, they are just large enough when adult (usually about one inch long) for fingerling bass and sunfish to feed on extensively. Viosca (1937) highly recommended the use of small species of crawfishes in fish cultural projects. It seems pertinent therefore that all observations of the biology of these species should be recorded.

TWO NEW CHYTRIDIACEOUS FUNGI FROM COLD SPRING HARBOR

This extremely virulent parasite was found in a well balanced algal culture which contained Spirogyra crassa Ktitz., two undetermined species of Oedogonium, young thalli of Coleochaete, and several other members of the Chlorophyceae, collected in I928 in the old Fish Hatchery Pond. The fungus was at once detected in the infected cells because of its extensive polyphagous mycelium which was characterized by the presence of numerous septate turbinate cells (P1. XLV, N). Further, wherever sporangia were being produced, the parasite was easily discovered by reason of the brilliant orange oil globule possessed by each of the zoospores. Free zo6spores were also abundant in the surrounding medium. As non-sexual reproduction was occurring in abundance and infection of the algal cells by the zoospores was being accomplished with great frequency, the life history of the organism could be followed in many cases on all three of the algal genera mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The zo6spore, coming to rest upon a host cell, generally moves for a time in an amoeboid fashion over the surface. Finally, it becomes quiescent, assumes a spherical shape and apparently absorbs its cilium. The hitherto colorless protoplasm is now a pale yellow. There is then produced an exceedingly tenuous, hyaline tube, which penetrates the cell wall of the host and through which the content of the encysted zodspore (cystospore), its oil globule intact, passes into the alga (fig. 1). This movement is a slow and deliberate one and, after its occurrence, the wall of the empty cystospore may be seen adherent to the outer wall of the host. Once inside of the alga, the protoplasm of the fungus assumes a nearly spherical form, somewhat larger than the mass of the original zoospore. From this fungous protoplasm, after several minutes, a few delicate hyphae grow out in all directions and soon establish the vegetative phase of the parasite (fig. J). The oil globule disassociates and the protoplasm which had originally es-