TPWD 1959 F-7-R-7 #495: Notes on the Natural History of Problematical Fish Species: Job Completion Report, Lake Diversion, Texas, June 1959 - December 1959

Report of Fisheries Investigations Notes on the Natural History of Problematioal Fish Species by Leo D. Levis Project Leader Lonnie J. Peters‘ Assistant Project Leader DingelleOhnson Project F-T-R-T; Joe 3-15 June 1, 1959 - December 31, 1959 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austinf'Texas Marion Tools Kenneth C. Jurgens &'William H. Brown Coordinator Assistant Coordinators A B S T‘R A C T Laboratory and field work was continued at Lake Diversion to study food and feeding habits, distribution, movements, and reproduction of gizzard shad, carp, carpsuckers, and the buffalo fishesc Selected stations were netted monthly, and l,h35 fish were taken. Shad, carp, carpsucker, and smallmouth buffalo comprised 6ho7h percent of the total collection, while game fish totaled 26,20 percent, Seining produced 9,30h forage-size fish, 58987 percent of which were shad. All data were compiled in such a manner as to obtain as much information as possible. This information will be utilized to organize and plan more detailed natural history studies in the future. Work during this short segment period has been devoted mostly to the collection of materials for the laboratory study at.Midwestern University, in accordance with the interwagency contract agreement, Netting stations, as well as other areas, were .fethometered and mapped for future studies, Sampling equipment was rewrigged to increase efficiency of fish collections, Job Completion Report State of TEXAS Project No. F-Tmhm7 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Survexs of the Waters of Region le, Job No, BwlS Title: Notes on the Natural History of Probe lematical Fish Species, Period Covered: June 12 1959 through December 31, 1959 OBJECTIVES To conduct laboratory and field studies on the anatomy, food and feeding habits, distribution, movements, and reproductive habits of problematical species, This work is to be prepatatory to more detailed studies of each species at a future time, with special emphasis on such features of natural histories that may aid in pepulation controls. ' TECHNIQUES Using techniques that were established during the preceding segment, netting and seining collections were made at least twice each month from Lake Diversion in an effort to determine distribution, movements, and general living habits of river carpm suckers, carp, shed, and the buffalo fishes, These data were compiled and tabulated in such a manner as to Obtain as much information as possible, Data for the study of distribution and movements were collected mostly from fifteen regular netting stations, These stations were chosen according to habitat types and were located between the Lake Diversion Dam and the confluence of Cottonw wood Creek and the Big Wichita River, the headwater tributary of Lake Diversion. In addition to the regular netting stations, periodic random sets were made to obtain supplementary data, Collections were made with experimental type nylon gill nets ranging in mesh size from one inch to three inch square mesh in 25 foot sections, In order to obtain digestive tracts that contained freshly eaten food, some of the most productive net sets were usually worked throughout the night, Digestive tracts that were to be used for food studies were remoced and placed in cloth bags, These bags are fire by seven inches in size and have a tag attached on which length, weight, sex, location, data of capture, and species of fish are recordedo Bags containing digestive tracts were immersed in ten percent formalin for preservation of tissue, , If there was evidence of increased activity of any fish species in a particular area, that area was either checkeseined or "boogered” with gill acts, The ”boogering" technique was most successful in areas where gill nets could be set across the mouth of a creek or narrom'bay, and in areas where mud or stumps made coining impossible, Notes were made on which direction fish were traveling when caught in gill nets. At times, a majority of fish seemed to be moving in a certain direction. This practice will continue in order to detect distribution patterns and reasons will be sought for such movements. Monthly seine samples were collected with 20~foot, one—fourth inch mesh minnow seines and preserved for later identification and counting. In order to show dis» tribution of small_fish, all seine samples from different locations were placed in separate containers. Efforts were made to increase efficiency of fish collection equipment. Gill nets were rigged on various bases of fullness and extent of hang. A small bag seine was rigged to sample areas where mud and silt have accumulated. Various types of traps were considered for use in areas where seining was impossible. A fathometer was employed to map bottom contours at each station, as well as other future collection sites. Plans were made to collect bottom samples, vegetation samples, turbidity recordings and other data necessary to provide complete limnological descriptions of each station. This was not fully accomplished, however, and in view of the fact that changes in sampling methods are contemplated, new plans have been made which will involve the contouring of the entire lake on a large map. Vegetation, stumpy areas, bottom types, and spawning areas will be indicated on this map, which should be most helpful in the planning of future field work. Stages of gonadal development were recorded each month for the species under study in order to determine major spawning periods. Very little information on spawning was obtained during this segment period, however, because it is a segment of short duration between June 1 through December 31. Most spawning activities were well underway before the segment began and did not begin by the time the segment terminated. Field notes were taken regarding associations, enemies, preferred habitats, and other features of life histories which might make undesirable species vulnerable to chemical or biological control. Laboratory studies were conducted on food habits and fecundity of the river carpsucker, carp, gizsard shed and the buffalo fishes. This work was done by the Midwestern University during this period of study through an intermagency contract agreement. Stomachs and digestive tracts were collected, preserved, and delivered to the college laboratory at least once each.month. In addition to preserved materials, live specimens, plankton, and other materials were delivered upon request. Results of this study will be presented in a report to be submitted by the.Midwestern Uni» versity in accordance with the interwagency contract agreement. Information Obtained in the laboratory and in the field during this segment period will be utilized to organize and plan detailed natural history studies in the future. FINDINGS This is a short segment report, covering a period of only seven months between June 1 through December 31, 1959. Fish Collections A total of 1,h35 fish was collected by gill nets from the fifteen regular netting stations. Carp, carpsucker, shed and smallmouth buffalo comprised 6h.7h percent of the total number taken. Game fish totaled 26.20 percent, and the re» mainder were drum, bullhead catfish, longnose gar, and shortness gar. The average collection per station was 96.6 fish. The most fish taken at any station was 181 at Rocky Bend, and the least number was 18 at the floating midlake station. Five sets took 7&7 fish which was 51.16 percent of all fish taken. Gizzard shed was the most abundant species taken, comprising 28.65 percent of the total. Equal numbers of carpsuckers and smallmouth buffalos were taken. A total of 22k of each species was caught, comprising 15.61 percent for each species. The next most abundant species were white bass and crappie which were also taken in exactly the same number. One hundred and fiftymfive of each were caught, which com- prised 10.80 percent for each species. Figure 1 presents the number and percent of each species taken. This information is given in the first column of figures to the right of the column of species. The number taken is above and the percent is directly below. This chart may seem confusing at first, but to one who has used it a short time, it is simple and very useful because it condenses a host of information into one reference. It contains the following information: (1) Total number and number of each species taken from all stations combined. (2) Percent of the total number of each species taken from all stations combined. {3) Total number and number of each species taken from each station. (h) Percent of the total number of each species taken at all stations. (5) Percent of the total of each particular species taken at each station. (6) Number of males of each species under study at each station. For example, distribution of smallmouth buffalo (or any other particular species) during this period of study can be determined by referring to Figure 1. A total of l,h35 fish of all species was taken. Two hundred and twentwaour smallmouth buffalos were taken, which comprised 15.61 percent of the total number of all fish taken from all of the stations combined. Sixtymeight of the 224 buffalo taken were collected from the Gravel Beach station, comprising 30.35 percent of the total number of all smallmouth buffalos taken from all stations combined. Considering only the fish taken from the Gravel Beech station, a total of 15? fish was taken, h3.3l percent of which were smallmouth buffalos. 0f the 68 smallmouth buffalos taken at this station, At were males. During this period of study, 10.9% percent of all fish collected were taken at the Gravel Beach Station. Figure 1 was compiled from monthly records, shown in Figures 2 through 8. Monthly fish collections are given in Figures 2 through 8. Seining produced a total of 9,3OH forage fish, of which gizzard shad were greatly dominant. Shad comprised 58.87 percent of the total. Also abundant were Notropis lutrensis (12.79 percent) and Pimephales vigilax (13.86 percent). The numbers of forage fish taken by seine collections are given in Figure 9. gistribution and Movements Although only fifteen regular netting stations were used during this period of study, they were distributed throughout the lake well enough to indicate distribution and, perhaps, preference of species under study fOr various types of habitat. Net- ting locations are plotted on the map at the end of this report. Data obtained from gill nets are supplemented by coining collections. Carpsucker Five particular stations produced 75.00 percent of all carpsucker taken. These stations were similar only in water depth. The lake bottom at the Crappie Creek, Rock Island, and Rattlesnake Island stations is moderately to heavily vegetated, while the Hackberry Bay and Cottonwood Creek bottoms are covered with deep mud and are not vegetated.' At the Cottonwood Creek set, 21 of the 29 carpsuckers taken were caught in October. Ordinarily, this set does not catch many carpsuckers and their presence at this station in October may have been caused by a rise in the river resulting from an increase in water release from Lake Kemp. The high percentage of carpsuckers 0taken from the Rackberry station may be attributed to the fact that the nets were set at the entrance to Hackberry Bay which is moderately vegetated with Chara. It is doubtful that carpsuckers fed in the immediate area in which the nets were set. They were probably caught while entering or leaving feeding areas inside the bay. The remaining three stations where high percentages of carpsuckers were taken are hen lieved to be located in feeding areas. Rock Island is at the northeast entrance to Duck Bay which is a large, heavily vegetated bay of somewhat uniform depth. The Crappie Creek Station is in Crappie Creek Bay which is also heavily vegetated, large, and of somewhat uniform depth. The Rattlesnake Island set is in the narrow passageway between Rattlesnake island and the_main1and to the north. This passageway leads to Wildhorse Bay, a smaller bay, but otherwise similar to Crappie Creek Bay and Duck Bay. At Gravel Beach, the only other shallowwwater station, the bottom is firm and covered with a thick mat of Chara. This set took only 17 carpsuckers. Figure 10 gives the distribution of carpsuckers during this period of study. The small catch of carpsuckers during June and July may have been due to their spawning activities up in the river above the point where our netting stopped. Ere tensive netting and seining in the upper riVer is planned during the next segment to determine the extent of its utilization by carpsuckers, especially during the spawning season. Young carpsuckers less than 1? inches, a scarce item in seine collections, were taken only at Boggy Bay, Sandy Beach, Rocky Bend, Rackberry Bay, and in the river, approximately four miles above Fulda Bridge. All of these places are in the extreme upper end of the_lake or in the river, which suggests that carpsuckers probably spawn somewhere in this area. Gizzard shad During this period of study, shad were well distributed throughout a large part of the lake except during the spawning season when approximately 80 percent were taken in areas above Sandy Beach. Shad were taken in abundance at many stations almost every month; however, more were taken in the upper part of the lake than in the lower. The fire stations located in the upper part of the lake and in the river took 62. 31 percent of a11 shad collected, while sets located in the main part of the lake caught as little as 1.22 percent. During June, 89.15 percent of all shad were collected in the upper part of the lake and in the river above. Undoubtedly, the shad were spawning in this area at that time. They began leaving the upper lake in July, and by August, only 17.2h percent of the shed collected were taken there. They returned in September, however, and throughout October to December, an average of 61.50 percent of the shed were taken in the upper five sets. Figure 11 gives the distribution of shad during this period of study. Food studies of shed in Lake Diversion indicate they are demersal type feeders rather than plankton feeders. Their stomachs contain a high percentage of silt and clay particles which could only be taken by fishes with demersal type feeding habits. Therefore, in Lake Diversion, indications are that shad are not opennwater pelagic feeders, but rather, like the carpsucker, find most of their food on the bottom in the littoral zone. In addition to bottom feeding, they probably get a portion of their food by sucking algae, protozoans, and bacteria off stumps, rocks and brush. Shad fry were collected at many places in the lake, but they were more abundant in the shallow areas of Boggy Bay and along the south side of the river near Rocky Bend. Shad fry collected at these locations on June h, 1959, were from threewfourths to one inch long. They were still present in large numbers on July 8 and were obviw ously larger, but by July 28, they had practically disappeared from this area. They reappeared early in August, but when the same area was checked on two occasions in September, only four small shad were taken. Very few shad were taken in seine collections at any location from early September to December. This sudden dis- appearance of small shad from shallow areas where they were previously very abundant suggests that they move out to deeper, openwwater areas when they reach a certain size. In spite of heavy predation, it is unlikely that the disappearance of young shad from these seining areas was due to predation alone. It is considered more prObable that, after a certain age, shallow water habitat is not suitable, and they must find their food in other areas. Carp Although carp are present in Lake Diversion, they are not considered to be overs abundant. A total of only 68 carp was taken during this segment, and very seldom were more than two or three taken at any set. For this reason, very little can be said about the movements and distribution of this species. Figure 12 gives the distribution of carp for this segment. Food studies have revealed that Chara is the principle food item of carp in Lake Diversion. Special efforts will be made in the future to determine if the diam tribution of carp is influenced by large beds of Chara. Smallmouth'buffalo Unlike other species under study, most smallmouth buffalo were collected at relatively few places. Two sets in particular caught high percentages of this species. These were the Gravel Beach and the Rock Island sets which took 30.35 and 2l.h3 per” cent respectively. These sets are probably located in feeding areas or else in areas through which buffalo pass while going to and from feeding areas. Smallmouth buffalos in Lake Diversion feed extensively on organisms which are found on submerged stumps, brush, rocks, and other objects. Bryzoans, for example, are abundant on these submerged objects, and are major food items during certain times of the year. Food studies and the analysis of collection data indicates that distri- bution of this species may be directly associated with stumps, brush, and rocks. Figure 13 gives distribution of buffalo during this segment. Bigmouth buffalo Only two'bigmouth buffalos were collected during this period of study. They were taken one at a time-at the Rock Island station during the August and September col— lections. Therefore no distribution data were recorded. Mire. The period covered by this report began June 1, 1959. Since the species under study had already begun to spawn by that time, and since crowded work schedules pres vented the time necessary for field Observations, no pertinent data concerning spawning were collected. Concentrated efforts will be made during the segment be- ginning January 1, 1960, to learn as much as possible about the spawning habits and requirements of the species under study. Field observations will be made to collect information concerning the following related subjects: l. Time of spawning. Month and time of day when major spawning occurs. 2. Locations and requirements for spawning of each species. 3. Spawning methods. h. Relation of water temperatures to spawning. 5. Relation of current and fluctuating water levels to spawning. 6. Identification of eggs and young of each species at various stages of development. ” 7. Time required and factors influencing incubation. 8. Effects of certain chemicals on eggs and fry. 9. Movements, food, and general living habits of the young-of—thewyear from the time they hatch until they grow to a size permitting capture by gill nets. . Food Habits w Fecundity - Anatomy Detailed laboratory studies have been initiated and are presently being conducted on the comparative anatomy, food habits, and fecundity of the river carpsucker, buffalo fishes, carp and gizzard shad. This work is_being conducted by the Midwestern Uni- versity at Wichita Falls, Texas, for the Texas Game and Fish Commission under an interw agency contract. Fieldecollected specimens and materials are collected, preserved, and delivered to Midwestern University by F-TwR personnel for this laboratory study. Results of the study will be presented in a separate report by the Department of BiolOgy of the University. Discussion Work during this short segment period has been devoted mostly to the collection of materials for the laboratory study at Midwestern University. .At the same time, studies continued on movements and distribution of the species under study, collecting gear was modified and future work was planned. Netting stations, as well as other areas, were "fathometered” and mapped for future studies. One of the more outstanding problems of this study has been the inadequacy of our collecting and sampling methods. It has been quite obvious that gill netting is entirely too selective to produce a truly representative sample of the fish population. Seining methods, too, are limited to areas of shallow water devoid of stumps, rocks, vegetation and other objects that are attractive to fish. In order to obtain maximum benefit from this study, we must develop collecting methods that will acquire data from any or all parts of waters under study. Work on this problem was begun during this segment, and it will continue to receive special attention during future segments. Efforts will also be directed to determining depth distribution of undesirable species as related to seasons, temperature, barometric pressure, etc. This knowledge would be very useful in determining proper times for selective-kill treatments, For example, there would be no need to postpone a selective—kill treatment until a thermo~ cline existed at 20 feet in the summer time when the fish to be killed may occur only in the upper 10 feet normally and at a time affording more desirable treating cone ditions. During this very brief study, we have already encountered a number of tempting and very interesting diversionary aspects of life histories, none of which would be thieves of time when we consider the primary objectives of the study. However, crowded work schedules and other official obligations will not permit sufficient time to devote to the many aspects of a natural history study at this time. Plans are being made to reduce the number of jObs, as well as the work load in general, so that more time can be devoted to this study. Meanwhile, work on this jab will be confined primarily to preparations and planning for future work. It is hoped that, during this work, factormweaknesses in the life histories will be discovered through which each individual species under study can be controlled biologically. M/flvflvé/ Direc or Inland Fisheries Division Prepared by Leo D. Lewis Approved by Project Leader Lonnie J. Peters Assistant Project leader Date June 17, 1960 3h 56 _ . _ 2_ ' a. o 0/ . . 1.. "Hm o.mw .. . s “0.1 n¢ . . ,$ 0 I ooo>EOpo002 . flu . 2 9.“ an 1 h . 0” o. a .I 3 . a .5 2.... 1 . 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