Husbandry Initiatives

Daniel SchwarzUSFWSPrivate John Allen NFH

If threat on natural habitat, can Yazoo Darters be successfully bred and reared in captivity?

Develop/refine culture and rearing techniques

◦ Determine spawning cues for species

Water temp, photoperiod, substrate composition and possibly current

◦ Develop feeding regime

Our objective

Collected March 2012◦ 3 male 7 female

Fish were kept in 3 tanks (115 L) 1 male and 2 female per tank.

Maintain on a recirc. sys. @ 65°F until Aug. ◦ Constant light to inhibit spawning◦ Males lost coloration

Collection and Rearing

• Temperature controlled room

•Six 115 L and Fifteen 64 L tanks

•UV and Bio filters

•568 L sump

On 8/3/2012 spawning substrate (sand, gravel, boulder, woody debris) was added to one tank.

Temp was increased by 2°F every 2 weeks to 69°F (Johnston and Haag 2006)

Photoperiod was manually controlled to simulated natural conditions

Spawning trials (in aquaria)

@ 69°F 2 males and 4 females were moved to constructed stream

Spawning trial (with current)

Current temperatures are 73°F

No spawning behavior has been observed

Males are beginning to show return of color

Plans to construct automatic lighting

No spawning thus far

Spring 2013

◦ Collect Yazoo Darters

◦ Allow to spawn immediately after returning to hatchery

Provide appropriate temp, photoperiod and substrate

◦ After viable eggs are produced we can begin developing feeding regimes for offspring.

Future attempts