400 Purple spotted Gudgeons looking for a home

[nsw_fisheries]

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/gen/...r27_purple.htm

"This document has been posted for information and to encourage discussion among yourselves. For more information from NSW Fisheries on the issue, please visit our web site on www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au"

[el_carpo]

Very interesting read NSW Fisheries. That's really amazing that a fish that hardy (it can live in a cup of water, I think it said) can be threatened to the point of extiction! What foreign species are invasive and prodigeous enough to wipe out a fish like that?!

Here, we have a bunch of invasive species too. Lampreys, gobies (from the Baltic Sea, I think), zebra mussels (tiny little clams that cover everything in the Great Lakes), and the Asian Big Head carp. They're really messing things up here. Our smelt and lake perch numbers have dropped like a rock since they've been here. Very scary! I hope you guys can bring your fish back. I think you're going to really have to spread the word and get everyone together on this. Good luck! It would be a great victory to get them back on their feet (well, fins anyway and back in action.

[Fitzy]

400 Purple spotted Gudgeons looking for a home
27 April, 2004
The State Government has released 400 of a rare species of fish in southern NSW to boost efforts to bring it back from the edge of extinction.

The purple spotted gudgeon, a small but distinctive and colourful fish, was once common in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers as well as tributaries of the Darling.

In fact, the species was once so widespread that it was used as bait by Murray cod fishermen.

Since 1983, however, the gudgeon has only been recorded rarely at two sites in northern inland NSW and it is thought to be virtually extinct in Victoria.

The fish has remarkable survival skills as it is accustomed to living in puddles and can survive in a cup of mud.

Purple spotted gudgeons grow to between 7-12 cm in length and are found in slow-moving or still waters of rivers, creeks and billabongs; generally amongst weeds, rocks or snags.

Unfortunately, the gudgeon has had a hard time competing against introduced fish species and habitat degradation.

Now NSW Fisheries researchers have successfully bred these unique fish at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre on a large scale, in what is believed to be an Australian first.

As well as fish breeding programs, NSW Fisheries staff are improving fish habitats, with the help of local communities. This gives fish a better chance of survival once they are released into the wild.

The gudgeon breeding program was undertaken with fish collected from remnant populations within the Murray-Darling Basin and others donated by members of (ANGFA) Australia New Guinea Fishes Association.

Four hundred juvenile gudgeons were set free at a secret location between Tumut and Gundagai.

NSW Fisheries will monitor the results of this breeding program and use the data to help shape similar projects in the future.

Macquarie University researchers helped with genetic and ecological assessments in preparation for last week’s release.

Life of a gudgeon

Male and female gudgeons put on elaborate breeding displays, with the male cleaning the spawning site and pairing with a female.
Gudgeon eggs are deposited in clusters on solid objects such as rocks, wood and broad-leafed plants.
The males guard and fan the eggs.

Gudgeons eat insect larvae, worms, tadpoles, small fish and some plant matter.
They rarely swim continuously and travel longer distances through a series of jerky darts.
The fish also have an amazing jumping ability.

Note

It is illegal to catch and keep, buy, sell, possess or harm any purple spotted gudgeons from the western population (or any other threatened species in NSW) without a specific permit, licence or other appropriate authority, and significant penalties apply.

For endangered populations these penalties can include fines of up to $220,000 and up to two years in prison.

[bevo]

fitzy Q. what is 400 purple spotted gudgeons looking for a home if it is a nice place i would like to go there to. please explain. by the way hows the cramps in your calfs. buckets!!!

[Fitzy]

fitzy #Q. what is 400 purple spotted gudgeons looking for a home if it is a nice place i would like to go there to. please explain. by the way hows the cramps in your calfs. # buckets!!! #

Purple spotted gudgeons are a small native fish that are in a lot of trouble. The press release is about some work to help their numbers grow.

The cramps? Went one better & snapped the achillies first game last season. I should have stayed in retirement. Took a long time after surgery to get the leg half decent, still not the best yet, but I'm going around one more season, then its more time for fishing again.....

Cheers,

GF

[bevo]

dea GF ouch i hope ins covers that retirement is the way to go as it is a lot safer #and more time for fishing #ecept i supose you could cop a lure #in the back of tha head #but you could cop that i reckon cause of tha thrill of wating to see what gets hooked next. #havent played serious cricket since state titles and havent realy missed it ecept seeing all the fellas to have a beer with #but have had plenty more time to wet a line which is great. seems that you have ventured out in to some new prospects asi have watched on the news, something about the chemical content in soft plastic lures, i think thats right correct me if i am wrong. # # buckets

[Fitzy]

something about the chemical content in soft plastic lures, i think thats right correct me if i am wrong. # # buckets

That was all some scare by a guy whipping up the media about the dangers of chemicals in plastics. If I didn't get a word in edgewise putting things in perspective they would've slayed angling with plastics. The chemicals aint the best but no worse than any plastic houshold items.

[Batters]

it is hard to understand that these little fish are considered rare after catching up to 30 or so in 0ne or two hours while scooping for yabbies and shrimps on more than one occasion.

I live in the warwick area os SE Qld and these fish seem abundant in many perminant and semi-perminant streams with some also caught in the condamine river