New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Breeding, growth, and aestivation of the Canterbury mudfish, Neochanna burrowsius (Salmoniformes: Galaxiidae)

G. A. Eldon

Fisheries Research Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract Neochanna burrowsius (Phillipps) breeds in late winter and spring. Eggs are widely scattered, and adhere to leaves, stems, and suspended roots of aquatic and bankside vegetation in the sluggish or still waters of the adult habitat. Fish were successfully bred in ponds and tanks; hatching time for eggs varied greatly under different conditions of light and temperature. Fry are free swimming until they adopt the nocturnal, cryptic habits of adults when 30-50 mm long. Growth in the first year is rapid, sexual maturity being reached at 1 year old; subsequent growth is slow. Aestivation occurred successfully in shaded vegetable detritus or gravel. Holes were sometimes used, but fish did not make their own burrows for aestivation. When dissolved oxygen was low, captive fish left the water if able to do so without leaving

New Zealand Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research, 1979, 13 (3): 331-346
Received 2 October 1978; revision received 18 December 1978 Fisheries Research Division Publication 369

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1862K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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