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Black Redhorse
(Moxostoma
duquesnei)
- Grand River, Ontario 2007
Ontogeny and Larval Habitat
Preferences
We have been working in conjunction
with Fisheries and
Oceans Canada to study egg development, early life history and
larval/juvenile habitat requirements of
black redhorse
(Moxostoma duquesnei). Black redhorse is one of
several redhorse species native to the Grand River, Ontario
and literature is limited. In 2007, black redhorse were found to closely associate with
greater redhorse
(Moxostoma valenciennesi),
and
shared the same spawning riffles. Although they were
using the same riffles there was clear habitat partitioning between the
two species in terms of the area, current and depth utilized.
Golden redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) were observed spawning
on separate riffles.
On May 15 2007, mature brood stock were captured and
gametes were collected streamside. Fertilized eggs were
then carefully transported to our hatchery. After 13-14
days the eggs hatched and after another 5 to 6 days larval fish
became free-swimming. Eggs were also collected from spawning redds on May 25 and transported to our
hatchery. They hatched simultaneously with the
artificially fertilized eggs. On June 4 the spawning
riffle was surveyed and larval redhorse were observed congregating
and feeding 20-30m upstream along the
riverbanks in shallow slack water and backwater areas.
We
proceeded quickly forward in 2008 and built a fully
controlled fifteen tank hatchery with three thermal
replicates ranging in temperature between 0 - 30 degrees
C. We raised black redhorse successfully in 2008 for
a continuing study of ontogentetic development and
larval/juvenile habitat requirements in Canada.
VIEW
LARVAL REDHORSE BORN IN 2008
Black Redhorse Ontogeny
Click
HERE to see a
video of juvenile black redhorse at night
Our
old
(pilot)
hatchery
Incubating eggs with a basic hatchery set-up
Larval black redhorse in
2007
Click here....Biology,
ecology and population assessment of black redhorse in
Canada
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