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prollo at juno_com: Swamp Darter (Etheostoma fusiforme) Spawning
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From: prollo at juno_com
To: robertrice at juno_com
Cc: bockr at hdo3_nichd.nih.gov
Subject: Swamp Darter (Etheostoma fusiforme) Spawning
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 22:03:54 EDT
Message-ID: <19970925.210922.8111.0.prollo at juno_com>
Rob
My small group of swamp darters decided to spawn this week. A few days
ago I noticed activity resembling courtship behavior. As this tank
was the community "pine barrens" tank I did not have much hope in being
able to save any eggs. I put in a spawning mop and waited. The darters
quickly began darting in and out of the mop but none of the other fish
could follow. The darters spawned in the mop as well as on the gravel
bottom. So far I have collected about 55 eggs from the gravel and mop.
About 15 of the eggs have eyed-up and should hatch in another day or so.
The remaining eggs will eye up by the end of the week. The eggs appear
to be of the same color and size as L . ommata. The only thing I can
attribute to why they have started spawning is that the temperature
dropped from the upper seventies to the upper sixties with the recent
cooler weather in my area. I have had this group of darters for over a
year and have never spawned. It could be that they have recently reached
maturity - they have doubled their size in the time I have had them.
Will keep you posted on fry rearing and future spawning activity.
Pete
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