[Killietalk] re: Fundulus notatus

["lee Van Hyfte" <littleleeper23 at hotmail_com>]

Hi yall,

 I find the notatus in rivers and creeks. Primarily in back waters.  I find 
them on the downstream side of sand bars that have built up to the banks of 
the creek or river (ie:  the water level has dropped to the point that it 
creates a dry walk out into the river).  They are often found in small 
schools of 8 to 10.

Easily seen due to the Star on the top of their head and sudden darting 
surface movements as they see you approach.  I have found them in swampy 
back waters sitting within an inch or two of the bank. The water is easily 
approaching 90 + degrees due to shallow near stagnant water there and direct 
sunlight.

This summer i was collecting them by hand  with a great deal of effort after 
the Crappie stopped biting. This was a borrow pit for the highway off of the 
Cedar River in Iowa which floods the whole area in the spring time.  To be 
honest all I have been able to find under these circumstances are 1 inch 
fish that quite easily slip through the seine (that is likely due to heavy 
predatory load in this area) Larger 3-4 inch fish have been found in similar 
regions where there are fewer predators in shallow creeks.

I have found that they will only breed in shallow water, 2-3 inches.  I set 
them up in a 15 gallon aquarium with UG filter and natural  colored small 
gravel.  A few clumps of java moss as a spawning receptical.  The eggs are 
large and freckled in brown specks.  Nothing special to rearing of the fry.

The distribution map in Wildekamps WOK vol. III shows that they range into 
southern ontario around Toronto and London can any canadians confirm this ?  
Otherwise they are in wisconsin, southern michigan,  and Northern Ohio.  
They have a huge range in the midwest.

God Bless, Lee van Hyfte <><

_________________________________________________________________
Need more e-mail storage? Get 10MB with Hotmail Extra Storage.   
http://join.msn.com/?PAGE=features/es


To join the AKA see http://www.aka.org/pages/join.html