Mass Marking of Mosquitofish: Preliminary Results

Three marking techniques were tested to determine their applicability for mosquitofish. Tetracycline drugs and DC Ar administered in the diet successfully marked laboratory-cultured mosquitofish, but exposure to direct sunlight in outdoor tanks resulted in the rapid disappearance of the marks. Preliminary data on fluorescent marks from a polystyrene pigment in a melamine-sulfonamide-formaldehyde resin forced into the dermal ,tissue with compressed air are more promising. A t an optimal deliver pressure of 7.3 m Hg (140 p.s.i.) and spraying time of 15 sec., marking percentage is maximized and fish mortality is minimized. Mark retention time was up to 80 days in outdoor tanks at this writing, Long retention times and the availability of four colors increases the potential of this marking technique as a useful tool in field population studies of mosquito fish

Effect of Fish Size on Prey Size Selection in Gambusia Affinis

Food size selection of the mosquitofish , Gambusia affinis affinis. was measured in aquaria using juvenile stages of the mosquito, Clllex tarsalb;, as prey. Fish size varied from recently born fry to large adult females. Food size selection was positively correlated with fish size. Mosquitofish fry (6-8 111m standard length) attacked and ate primarily first and second instar larvae. Fry attacked larger instars, but attack success on these was low (0 - 50%). Fish larger than 20 mm attached primarily pupae and third and fourth instar larva. No first instar mosquitoes were eaten. Attack success for these fish was above 65\u27Yr) for all instars

The Relationship of Food Conversion Efficiency and Growth Potential in Juvenile Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

New information concerning respiratory metabolic rates of juvenile mosquitofish (i = 915 mg 02 kg-1 h-1 at 20° C) was applied to existing data on mosquitofish respiration and combined with findings on growth and food consumption rates to determine percentages of net ingested energy used for growth and respiration over a 10- 35° C temperature range. The energy percentage used by mosquitofish for respiration was minimized at 25-30° C while that used for growth (= food conversion efficiency) was maximized at the same temperature. A calculated growth potential index, derived from an overall energy balance equation, was also maximized at the 25 to 30° C range and proved to be closely correlated with food conversion efficiency (r = 0.98). Possible future applications of the growth potential index for estimating food conversion efficiencies in field populations of fishes are suggested

Juvenile Green Sturgeon (\u3ci\u3eAcipenser medirostris\u3c/i\u3e) and White Sturgeon (\u3ci\u3eAcipenser transmontanus\u3c/i\u3e) Behavior Near Water-Diversion Fish Screens: Experiments in a Laboratory Swimming Fume

Water diversions that extract fresh water for urban, industrial, and agricultural uses, as well as export to southern California, are prevalent throughout the Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed. Many water diversions are fitted with fish-exclusion screens designed to prevent fish from entrainment (i.e., being drawn in). The impact of fish screens on the behavior of migrating juvenile fishes remains largely unknown, especially for threatened species such as sturgeon. We placed individual juvenile green (Acipenser medirostris) or white (Acipenser transmontanus) sturgeon in a laboratory swimming flume in the presence of standard fish screens (2 mm bar spacing) at two field-relevant water velocities (20.4 ± 0.1 and 37.3 ± 0.3 cm·s−1). Fish were tested at 18°C for 15 min during the day or night and in the presence of possible behavioral deterrents. Behavioral responses, including screen contacts, impingements, and time spent near screens were quantified. Green sturgeon contacted and impinged upon the screens twice as frequently as white sturgeon and also differed in how their behaviors were altered by water velocities and time of day. Our results are informative in developing effective management strategies to mitigate the impacts of water diversions on sturgeon populations and suggest that effective restoration strategies for both species should be considered separately

The effect of size on juvenile green sturgeon (\u3ci\u3eAcipenser medirostris\u3c/i\u3e) behavior near water-diversion fish screens

Anthropogenic water management projects and facilities that alter the local and regional hydrology of riverine environments greatly influence the behavior, physiology, and survival of native fishes. To mitigate for losses of native fishes at these structures, many are outfitted with fish-exclusion screens to reduce entrainment. The effect of fish size and age on behavior near fish screens, however, is largely unknown. Therefore, we tested two size classes of juvenile green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris; small, early juveniles: 9.2 ± 0.2 cm fork length [FL], 6.9 ± 0.3 g; intermediate juveniles: 18.8 ± 0.2 cm FL, 36.9 ± 0.8 g) near fish-exclusion screens in a laboratory swimming flume. Although size was a significant factor influencing the way in which fish contacted the screens (i.e., proportion of body contacts, p = 2.5×10−9), it did not significantly influence the number of times fish contacted screens or the amount of time fish spent near screens. We also compared the performance of these two size classes to that of older and larger sturgeon that were tested previously (29.6 ± 0.2 cm FL, 147.1 ± 3.1 g), and documented a clear difference in the behavior of the fish that resulted in disparities in how the large fish contacted screens relative to small- or intermediate-sized juveniles (p = 0.005, 5.4 × 10−4, respectively). Our results further our understanding of how ontogeny affects fish behavior near anthropogenic devices, and are informative for managers seeking to identify the most susceptible size and age class of juvenile green sturgeon to water-diversion structures to potentially develop size-specific conservation strategies

Larval green and white sturgeon swimming performance in relation to water-diversion flows

Little is known of the swimming capacities of larval sturgeons, despite global population declines in many species due in part to fragmentation of their spawning and rearing habitats by man-made water-diversion structures. Larval green (Acipenser medirostris) and white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) inhabit the highly altered Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed, making them logical species to examine vulnerability to entrainment by altered water flows. The risk of larval sturgeon entrainment is influenced by the ontogeny of swimming capacity and dispersal timing and their interactions with water-diversion structure operations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe and compare the ontogeny and allometry of larval green and white sturgeon swimming capacities until completion of metamorphosis into juveniles. Despite the faster growth rates and eventual larger size of larval white sturgeon, green sturgeon critical swimming velocities remained consistently, though modestly, greater than those of white sturgeon throughout the larval life stage. Although behavioural interactions with water-diversion structures are also important considerations, regarding swimming capacity, Sacramento–San Joaquin sturgeons are most vulnerable to entrainment in February–May, when white sturgeon early larvae are in the middle Sacramento River, and April–May, when green sturgeon early larvae are in the upper river. Green sturgeon migrating downstream to the estuary and bays in October–November are also susceptible to entrainment due to their movements combined with seasonal declines in their swimming capacity. An additional inter-species comparison of the allometric relationship between critical swimming velocities and total length with several sturgeon species found throughout the world suggests a similar ontogeny of swimming capacity with growth. Therefore, although dispersal and behaviour differ among river systems and sturgeon species, similar recommendations are applicable for managers seeking to balance water demands with restoration and conservation of sturgeons worldwide

Fish-protection devices at unscreened water diversions can reduce entrainment: evidence from behavioural laboratory investigations

Diversion (i.e. extraction) of water from rivers and estuaries can potentially affect native wildlife populations if operation is not carefully managed. For example, open, unmodified water diversions can act as a source of injury or mortality to resident or migratory fishes from entrainment and impingement, and can cause habitat degradation and fragmentation. Fish-protection devices, such as exclusion screens, louvres or sensory deterrents, can physically or behaviourally deter fish from approaching or being entrained into water diversions. However, empirical assessment of their efficacy is often lacking or is investigated only for particular economically or culturally important fishes, such as salmonids. The Southern population of anadromous green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) is listed as threatened in California, and there is a high density of water diversions located within their native range (the Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed). Coupled with their unique physiology and behaviour compared with many other fishes native to California, the green sturgeon is susceptible to entrainment into diversions and is an ideal species with which to study the efficacy of mitigation techniques. Therefore, we investigated juvenile green sturgeon (188–202 days post-hatch) in the presence of several fish-protection devices to assess behaviour and entrainment risk. Using a large experimental flume (∼500 kl), we found that compared with an open diversion pipe (control), the addition of a trash-rack box, louvre box, or perforated cylinder on the pipe inlet all significantly reduced the proportion of fish that were entrained through the pipe (P = 0.03, P = 0.028, and P = 0.028, respectively). Likewise, these devices decreased entrainment risk during a single movement past the pipe by between 60 and 96%. These fish-protection devices should decrease the risk of fish entrainment during water-diversion activities

Fish-protection devices at unscreened water diversions can reduce entrainment: evidence from behavioural laboratory investigations

Diversion (i.e. extraction) of water from rivers and estuaries can potentially affect native wildlife populations if operation is not carefully managed. For example, open, unmodified water diversions can act as a source of injury or mortality to resident or migratory fishes from entrainment and impingement, and can cause habitat degradation and fragmentation. Fish-protection devices, such as exclusion screens, louvres or sensory deterrents, can physically or behaviourally deter fish from approaching or being entrained into water diversions. However, empirical assessment of their efficacy is often lacking or is investigated only for particular economically or culturally important fishes, such as salmonids. The Southern population of anadromous green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) is listed as threatened in California, and there is a high density of water diversions located within their native range (the Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed). Coupled with their unique physiology and behaviour compared with many other fishes native to California, the green sturgeon is susceptible to entrainment into diversions and is an ideal species with which to study the efficacy of mitigation techniques. Therefore, we investigated juvenile green sturgeon (188–202 days post-hatch) in the presence of several fish-protection devices to assess behaviour and entrainment risk. Using a large experimental flume (∼500 kl), we found that compared with an open diversion pipe (control), the addition of a trash-rack box, louvre box, or perforated cylinder on the pipe inlet all significantly reduced the proportion of fish that were entrained through the pipe (P = 0.03, P = 0.028, and P = 0.028, respectively). Likewise, these devices decreased entrainment risk during a single movement past the pipe by between 60 and 96%. These fish-protection devices should decrease the risk of fish entrainment during water-diversion activities

Hydraulics Near Unscreened Diversion Pipes in Open Channels: Large Flume Experiments

Most of the water diversions on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (California, United States) and their tributaries are currently unscreened. These unscreened diversions are commonly used for irrigation and are potentially harmful to migrating and resident fishes. A large flume (test section: 18.29 m long, 3.05 m wide and 3.20 m high) was used to investigate the hydraulic fields near an unscreened water diversion under ecologically and hydraulically relevant diversion rates and channel flow characteristics. We investigated all combinations of three diversion rates (0.28, 0.42, and 0.57 m3/s) and three sweeping velocities (0.15, 0.38, and 0.61 m/s), with one additional test at 0.71 m3/s and 0.15 m/s. We measured the three-dimensional velocity field at seven cross sections near a diversion pipe and constructed regression equations of the observed maximum velocities near the pipe. Because the velocity components in three directions (longitudinal, transverse, and vertical) were significantly greater near the diversion pipe inlet compared with those farther from it, they cannot be neglected in the modeling and design of fish guidance and protection devices for diversion pipes. Our results should be of great value in quantifying the hydraulic fields that are formed around fish guidance devices to design more effective protection for fishes from entrainment into unscreened water-diversion pipes