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-- S p e c i e s , f r e s h w a t e r --
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| Q 1. | ||
| What fish can live out of water for several years if necessary? |
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| Q 2. | ||
| What are the elephant fishes? |
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| Q 3. | ||
| What is the world’s largest freshwater fish? |
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| Q 4. | ||
| Is the "angelfish" of the tropical fish fancier related to those found in salt water? |
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| Q 5. | ||
| One of my friends told me that in Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire there is a kind of trout found in that lake and in no other. Most trout have a much wider range, so that seemed strange to me. Is it true? |
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| Q 6. | ||
| I have read about fresh water sharks in several adventure novels and I wonder if they really exist. Can you tell me? |
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| Q 7. | ||
| Can you tell me anything about the char found in the streams of North America? |
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| Q 8. | ||
| What kind of fishes are found in the Suwannee River? |
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| Q 9. | ||
| Are there smallmouth bass in Florida? 1 have done a lot of fishing in the State and have never seen one, although I have heard of them being caught there. |
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| Q 10. | ||
| I am interested in receiving information on freshwater jellyfish. Are there any, and where can I get such information? |
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| Q 11. | ||
| Is there any effective way of wiping out a carp population that has taken over a small stream which was once a very fertile black bass breeding area? |
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| Q 12. | ||
| While diving in Blue Springs in Marianna, Florida, and in Morrison Springs at Ponce de Leon, Florida, we encountered eels that appeared at times to be aggressive. While I was digging in the sand bottom I noticed on several occasions, an eel moving toward us, and once an eel actually came in contact with my buddy's diving fin. Are fresh-water eels dangerous? |
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| Q 13. | ||
| How many species of fresh-water catfish are found in Florida waters? Can you give me any information you have about their habits and habitat. |
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| Q 14. | ||
| The walking catfish and its uninvited presence in Florida were discussed on the Arthur Godfrey show in December, 1968. Can you tell me how this fish was introduced into Florida waters? |
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| Q 15. | ||
| While vacationing in Everglades National Park this past summer, I witnessed a rather odd scene. The water level was low and I was watching what I thought were young alligators squirming around in a mudhole. Then one of the animals left the water, slithered across about 10 feet of ground and splashed into another hole. I could see then that it wasn't a gator at all but a kind of fish, about 3 to 4 feet long. What do you think it was, and is this sort of behavior unusual? |
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| Q 16. | ||
| I understand that the mosquitofish or Gambusia was imported to help control mosquitoes. Is this correct? |
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| Q 17. | ||
| What sounds does a goldfish make, and how can I detect or record these sounds? |
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| Q 18. | ||
| Does the "four-eyed" fish found in South American rivers really have four distinct eyes? |
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| Q 19. | ||
| Has anyone succeeded in cloning fishes? |
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| Q 20. | ||
| What is the origin of the common name Dolly Varden for the trout Salvelinus malma found in inland and offshore waters of northwestern United States? |
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| Q 21. | ||
| During my visit to Miami, Florida in December, 1988, I purchased a packet of fresh fish labeled "Saint Peter's fillet." The butcher said the fish was imported from Costa Rica, where it was the product of aquaculture. A neighbor claimed that the fish was imported from the Sea of Galilee. When cooked, the fish tasted like snook. Can you tell me what fish is marketed under this appellation? |
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| Q&A 1. | What fish can live out of water for several years if necessary? |
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| The African lungfish, Protopterus annectens, is one of the primitive air-breathing fishes. This species lives in rivers and streams that may become absolutely dry for lengthy periods. During this time the lungfish burrows into the mud and forms a cocoon of body slime. In this condition it lies dormant until released by the next rain. It has been found experimentally that one of these fish can survive in this condition for several years. |
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| Q&A 2. | What are the elephant fishes? |
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| These are a very unusual group of freshwater fishes (Suborder Mormyroidea), a great many of which have the jaws elongated and bent downward after the manner of an elephant's trunk. Found mainly in northern Africa, the elephant fishes are also of scientific importance because of the great size of their brains, which approach that of man in relative proportion of their weight to that of the rest of the body. In spite of these tremendous brains, the intelligence of the elephant fishes is believed to be no greater than that of the average fish. |
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| Q&A 3. | What is the world’s largest freshwater fish? |
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| The arapaima, (Arapaima gigas) which is reported to reach a length of 15 feet and a weight of 500 pounds, is generally considered to be the world's largest freshwater fish. This fish inhabits streams in the upper Amazon region of South America, where the native Indians kill it for its flesh. One of the arapaima’s smaller relatives, (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) occasionally finds its way into tropical fish collections. This peculiar fish is provided with a pair of soft, flesh barbels on the tip of the lower jaw. These barbels are directed forwards as the fish swims, and may aid in the location of food. |
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| Q&A 4. | Is the "angelfish" of the tropical fish fancier related to those found in salt water? |
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| No. The freshwater angelfish, (Pterophyllum sp.), belongs to the family Cichlidae, which contains a great, many small basslike fishes mainly native to South America. Several members of this great and diverse group are notable for their resemblance to certain marine fishes. Pterophyllum is remarkable for its resemblance to the angelfishes (family Chaetodontidae) of the tropical coral reefs. Newly-hatched Pterophyllum are quite ordinary in shape, but after a few weeks the fins begin to elongate until the final adult shape is attained. |
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| Q&A 5. | One of my friends told me that in Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire there is a kind of trout found in that lake and in no other. Most trout have a much wider range, so that seemed strange to me. Is it true? Pensacola, Florida |
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| The Sunapee, or golden trout, (Salvelinus aureolus) is found principally in lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, but a few are also found in Big Dan Hole, New Hampshire; Floods Pond, Maine; and Averill Pond, Vermont. Its distribution is very limited and discontinuous compared with other trout (so many of which have been widely introduced all over the temperate zone). The Sunapee has same characters in common with the lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, and other characters in common with the brook trout, S. fontinalis - - its closest relatives. It is distinct from these two in that the males develop an orange belly and orange pelvic fins during the fall breeding season. The golden trout of New Hampshire is not to be confused with the golden trout of California, Salmo agua-bonita, which is most closely related to the rainbow trout, S. gairdnerii. |
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| Q&A 6. | I have read about fresh water sharks in several adventure novels and I wonder if they really exist. Can you tell me? Hialeah, Florida |
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| Only one shark, the Lake Nicaragua shark (Carcharhinus nicaraguensis), is entirely adapted to life in fresh water. It is restricted to Lake Nicaragua, its tributaries and outlet. Other sharks of this genus are said to ascend large rivers occasionally. Sting rays and sawfishes, both of which belong to the same class of animals as sharks, certainly do. The Lake Nicaragua shark is a close relative to the large bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), a shark common in the bays and coastal waters of F1orida and elsewhere. Both the Lake Nicaragua shark and the bull shark are regarded as dangerous. |
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| Q&A 7. | Can you tell me anything about the char found in the streams of North America? Elmhurst, Illinois |
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| The group of fish generally known in North America as trout actually comprise three distinct but closely related groups of fishes. These are the true salmons, the trouts, (including the Atlantic salmon), and the chars, which include the brook and lake trouts. The chars are coldwater, fishes with very prominent teeth on the vomerine bone. This is the bone in the middle of the forward part of the roof of the mouth. The chars are generally dark colored fish with light markings, just the opposite of the trouts and salmons. Chars in North America are lake trout, brook trout, Dolly Varden, and the Arctic char, including its local varieties, the Quebec red trout, the blueback trout and the Sunapee trout. The Arctic char is the most northern of the group, reaching territorial United States only in Maine, New Hampshire, and presumably Vermont and Alaska. It is also found in northern parts of Europe and Asia. There are numerous other species of chars in northern reaches of the old world. Like most of its relatives, the Arctic char in some regions spends much of its time at sea, running the freshwater brooks and rivers at spawning time, while in other regions the char is landlocked. |
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| Q&A 8. | What kind of fishes are found in the Suwannee River? Miami, Florida |
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| So far as can be ascertained no one has written a paper dealing with the fishes of the Suwannee River. However, in 1935, the University of Florida Press published a Guide to the Reptiles, Amphibians and Fresh Water Fishes of Florida, by Archie Carr and Coleman J. Goin. Since this publication deals with the fishes throughout the fresh waters of Florida it covers all the species that are known from the Suwannee River. There is nothing unusual about the fishes of the Suwannee River. They are very much like those of the other large rivers in northern Florida and those of the adjacent southeastern states. The main sport fishes are the large mouth bass and the Suwannee bass, and there are a considerable number of catfishes and suckers. |
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| Q&A 9. | Are there smallmouth bass in Florida? 1 have done a lot of fishing in the State and have never seen one, although I have heard of them being caught there. Akron, Ohio |
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| It is well established that so called smallmouth bass reports from Florida are based on the largemouth bass. One reason for the confusion is that the Florida sub-species of largemouth bass resembles somewhat the smallmouth bass in general coloration. The sma1lmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui does not occur in Florida but two relatives, the red-eye bass, micropterus coosae, and the Suwannee bass, micropterus notius, occur in a few river systems in the north-western part of the state. The Florida largemouth bass merges with the northern sub-species in northern Florida. |
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| Q&A 10. | I am interested in receiving information on freshwater jellyfish. Are there any, and where can I get such information? Richwood, New Jersey |
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| The freshwater jellyfish most commonly found in the United States is Craspedacusta sowerbyi. It has been found mostly in artificial bodies of water, such as flooded rockpits, ponds and the like, in almost all states and in Canada, and has also been recorded from many other localities around the world. It usually appears suddenly and then disappears; sometimes it recurs in subsequent years, sometimes not. Craspedacusta has a minute hydroid stage which forms small colonies and lives attached to solid objects, and feeds upon small worms and other animals. You can find additional information, including drawings, in a book entitled The Invertebrates: Protozoa through Ctenophora, by L. H. Hyman, and published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, New York. |
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| Q&A 11. | Is there any effective way of wiping out a carp population that has taken over a small stream which was once a very fertile black bass breeding area? Rochester, New York |
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| It is not possible, as far as we know, to obtain a complete kill of carp by any means except perhaps by chemical poisoning with a fish toxicant called rotenone or one of its commercial preparations. This is mixed in the water and kills all fish; the waters may then be restocked with suitable fry or fingerlings of the species you desire. We would suggest that you contact the New York State Board of Conservation and ask for their advice and services. They may be willing to conduct the eradication for you; certainly their advice would be best since they are more familiar with your particular water conditions than we are. Furthermore, they will be familiar with the local laws covering this subject. Needless to say, chemical eradication is dangerous unless strictly controlled. The toxicant must be administered so that the kill does not extend far downsteam. This presupposes an accurate estimate of water volume to be treated and precise measurement of the toxicant into this water. |
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| Q&A 12. | While diving in Blue Springs in Marianna, Florida, and in Morrison Springs at Ponce de Leon, Florida, we encountered eels that appeared at times to be aggressive. While I was digging in the sand bottom I noticed on several occasions, an eel moving toward us, and once an eel actually came in contact with my buddy's diving fin. Are fresh-water eels dangerous? Greenville, Mississippi |
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| The fresh-water eel is not noted for its aggressiveness. Even docile animals will often defend themselves when approached, however, and this may explain the behavior of the eels you observed. The teeth of the fresh-water eel are quite small and incapable of doing any serious damage. |
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| Q&A 13. | How many species of fresh-water catfish are found in Florida waters? Can you give me any information you have about their habits and habitat. Okeechobee, Florida |
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| Nine species of catfish are known from Florida freshwater streams and lakes: channel catfish, white catfish, brown bullhead, yellow bullhead, flat bullhead, tadpole madtom, black madtom, speckled madtom and an undescribed species. Some prefer swiftly flowing rivers or springs with clean bottoms of sand, gravel or boulders; others are found in dense mats of vegetation in backwaters and swamps. In the daytime they are generally found in the shallow depths of the river or lake. They remain fairly quiescent until dark, when deeper water is sought. Their natural foraging period is at night, especially around twilight and dawn. Shrimp and fish make up most of their diet, but they will eat almost anything. |
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| Q&A 14. | The walking catfish and its uninvited presence in Florida were discussed on the Arthur Godfrey show in December, 1968. Can you tell me how this fish was introduced into Florida waters? Windom, Minnesota |
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| The walking catfish Clarias batrachus, a native of India, was introduced into Florida waters by an aquarium dealer. It is not yet possible to assess the effects of this fish on Florida fresh-water fishes. The introduction, however, could serve no useful purpose, since this catfish has no desirable food quality, nor is it a sportfish. Unfortunately, there is no way to control or prevent such introductions of unwanted fishes at this time, and no assurance that the next introduction might not be a serious pest. C. batrachus, along with many other exotic fishes, are dumped into public waters by dealers and aquarium owners who are going on a vacation or moving. This practice could do irreparable harm to the native fish population. The unwanted fishes eat food needed by the worthwhile fishes, and once established in the waters, they are almost impossible to evict. Florida already has its problems with the huge poisonous toad Bufo marinus, which was brought in to control insects. Now there is little hope of eliminating this toad, which has poisoned hundreds of dogs. Another unwelcome introduction is the pike gambusia Belonesox belizanus which has eliminated the useful mosquitofish Gambusia aDinis in many canals. G. affinis served as a natural control of mosquitoes by eating the eggs of these insects. An African finch, the red-whiskered bulbul, relishes Florida's mangoes and could cause havoc with peach and apple orchards if it moves north. |
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| Q&A 15. | While vacationing in Everglades National Park this past summer, I witnessed a rather odd scene. The water level was low and I was watching what I thought were young alligators squirming around in a mudhole. Then one of the animals left the water, slithered across about 10 feet of ground and splashed into another hole. I could see then that it wasn't a gator at all but a kind of fish, about 3 to 4 feet long. What do you think it was, and is this sort of behavior unusual? Boston, Massachusetts |
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| What you saw was a Florida gar, Lepisosteus platyrhincus, a familiar inhabitant of Everglades Park. These fish stem from an extremely old group of fishes, and they retain such primitive attributes as cartilaginous bones and an air bladder connected to the outside like a lung. The gar is capable of breathing air with this organ. The gar's backbone is curved upward at the tail in a manner reminiscent of many extinct species. Gars are efficient predators and their heavy armor makes them proof against almost anything. The flesh is sometimes eaten by those who don't mind the trouble of preparing it, but the roe should be avoided, as it is poisonous. Gars are quite capable of traveling over land, and do it when required during the dry season. |
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| Q&A 16. | I understand that the mosquitofish or Gambusia was imported to help control mosquitoes. Is this correct? Miami, Florida |
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| No. Gambusia affinis is native to eastern North America and all of Florida. Most of the tiny fishes you see in the inland waterways are of this species. It is true, however, that it feeds on the mosquito larva, and it is also true that Gambusia has been exported to many parts of the world. (See “A Fish to Control Mosquitoes," Sea Frontiers, Vol. 16, No.4, July-August, 1970.) |
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| Q&A 17. | What sounds does a goldfish make, and how can I detect or record these sounds? Conshohocken, Pennsylvania |
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| Although the goldfish has been studied for purposes of determining its sensitivity in the acoustic modality, little or no work has been done on its sound-producing abilities. No doubt, this is due to its highly domesticated geneology. It is a member of a large family of freshwater fishes, however, that has had other members subjected to such experimentation. These other species include various minnows of the Midwest. Fishes, such as these minnows, produce sounds primarily during courtship and agonistic situations. The frequency range is broadband, with peak intensities being probably between 100 and 3,000 Hertz. The easiest way to hear the sounds is with a doctor's stethoscope but, for more exacting work, you need a hydrophone, preamplifier, and earphones or tape recorder. Information on this subject is given in "Sound Discrimination by Males of Two Cyprinid Fishes" by E. A. Delco, Jr., Texas Journal of Science, 12(1,2) :48-54, and "The Signift4ance of Sound Production During the Reproductive Behaviour of Notropis analostanus (Family Cyprinidae)" by J. F. Stout, Animal Behaviour, 11(1):83-92. |
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| Q&A 18. | Does the "four-eyed" fish found in South American rivers really have four distinct eyes? Palm Beach, Florida |
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| Anatomically speaking, the freshwater four-eyed fish (Anableps sp.) actually has only two eyes but, from a functional point of view, this fish behaves as if it possessed four separate eyes. Each of the fish's two eyes is horizontally divided into two functional halves and, although both halves of each eye share the same lens, each half is equipped with its own separate cornea and retina. The upper cornea and lower retina of each eye are designed for vision in air, while the lower cornea and upper retina are designed for vision underwater. The result of this arrangement is that the fish is able to see clearly both above and below the surface of the water simultaneously. To take advantage of this capability, the four-eyed fish spends much of its time swimming at the water's surface, with the aerial corneas of its eyes protruding out of the water. This allows the fish to search for food at or below the surface, while at the same time maintaining a vigil against both aerial and aquatic predators. |
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| Q&A 19. | Has anyone succeeded in cloning fishes? Duluth, Minnesota |
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| Yes. Cloning-the technique of producing genetically identical duplicates of an organism - has been reported for the freshwater zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) and a species of golden carp. Zebrafish clones were produced by a method in which the eggs from a female fish containing two identical sets of chromosomes were activated without any genetic contribution from the father fish. The method was developed by Dr. George Streisinger and his colleagues at the University of Oregon Institute of Molecular Biology; The Oregon researchers begin by removing eggs from a female fish and activating them for further development with sperm cells that have been irradiated with ultraviolet light. The activated eggs then are placed in a bottle and are either heated to 106°F or subjected to underwater pressures of 8,000 pounds per square inch. This prevents the first cell division, which results in egg cells containing two sets of identical chromosomes, both contributed by the mother fish. If the process is repeated using mother fish with genetically identical egg cells, a multitude of clones-individual zebrafish that are identical to one another - are created. Carp clones resulted from transplantations of nuclei from a developing multicelled embryo into egg cells that lacked a nucleus. This work was reported by Chen Hongxi of the Chinese Institute of Hydrobiology. |
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| Q&A 20. | What is the origin of the common name Dolly Varden for the trout Salvelinus malma found in inland and offshore waters of northwestern United States? Berkeley, California |
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| Dolly Varden has been the common name for the char Salvelinus malma since the late 1800s. The name is an indirect reference to the fish's bright red or orange spots when it is in cold mountain streams (in other habitats, the coloration may be more subdued). A character in Charles Dickens's Barnaby Rudge named Dolly Varden wore bright cherry-colored clothing and decorations, and the fish's name evolved from this character: The name Dolly Varden is also used for spotted scarves, fabrics, and a nineteenth century woman's costume that included a flower-trimmed hat and bouffant panniers in a bright flowery print. |
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| Q&A 21. | During my visit to Miami, Florida in December, 1988, I purchased a packet of fresh fish labeled "Saint Peter's fillet." The butcher said the fish was imported from Costa Rica, where it was the product of aquaculture. A neighbor claimed that the fish was imported from the Sea of Galilee. When cooked, the fish tasted like snook. Can you tell me what fish is marketed under this appellation? Middletown, Rhode Island |
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| The fillets you purchased were probably from the blue tilapia (Tilapia aurea), a species raised on aquaculture farms in Central America. Tilapia spp., which are cichlid mouthbreeders, are reared in both fresh- and brackish water in many parts of the world. Among these is a hybrid tilapia developed in Florida and marketed under the name "cherry snapper." As reported in Underwater Farming (Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL, 1988), its mild-flavored fillets are popular in restaurants. Fast-breeding, highly productive tilapia have been selected as a major food source for the Biosphere II project in Arizona. In September 1990, eight scientists plan to enter the 200,000-cubic-meter (260,000-cubic-yard) Biosphere II, a closed ecological system that is expected to provide the necessary water, oxygen, and food for two years of habitation. Details about the project are given in "Biosphere II: a world apart," New Scientist, 18 March 1989, pages 34-35. |
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Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science Library
University of Miami, FL USA 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149 Phone: 305 421 4060 Fax: 305 421 9306 E-mail: libcirc@rsmas.miami.edu |
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