[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re:flagfish
In a message dated 2/12/99 1:52:53 AM Mountain Standard Time, Aquatic-Plants-
Owner at actwin_com writes:
> ...when what should I see but a 1-centimeter long baby flag fish
> darting about among the crypts!
They are killies. It is remotely possible, and this is the most likely
explanation, that you got a couple of eggs, and one of them went dormant.
They can do this for very extensive periods of time, even among the non-
annuals. Usually, dormant eggs are activated by drying and re-wetting. In
most annual species, where drying and re-wetting is a required part of their
mayuration cycle, a few eggs from every batch will need to be dried again in
order to hatch. This helps to ensure the survival of the species should an
early rain come and hatch the eggs, then dry up again before the rainy season
gets fully under way.
Bob Dixon