Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

 

Date of this Version

January 1984

Comments

Published by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Nebraska Technical Series No. 16. A contribution of Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Project F-51-R.

Abstract

Lake chubsuckers (Erimyzon sucetta (Girard)) were introduced into two ponds to examine their suitability as a sustainable forage for largemouth bass (Micropterns salmoides (Lacepede)). A summary of lake chubsucker suitability followed the criteria of Bennett and Childers (1966).

Lake chubsuckers were capable of growing larger than the size range for predation by most largemouth bass, however, their growth rate made them vulnerable to largemouth bass for several years. Young of the lake chubsuckers were not available as forage for age 0 largemouth bass. Even though lake chubsuckers possess round bodies and soft rayed fins, this was not demonstrated to be a superior attribute. Lake chubsuckers were not able to maintain a viable population of adults in combination with dominant largemouth bass. Lake chubsucker diets revealed neither predation on largemouth bass eggs or fry nor competition with various sized largemouth bass for food. Mean annual measures of selected physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the fish habitat indicated significant changes in total alkalinity, Secchi disk transparency and surface coverage by rooted aquatic macrophytes. It was concluded lake chubsuckers were not directly responsible for these changes. In this study lake chubsuckefs did not significantly improve largemouth bass growth.

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