To kill invasive species or not?
Apr 3, 2020 14:37:18 #
badboyattitude
Loc: Palm Bay Florida
Carp is good smoked but then again almost anything smoked is good. Some of the pufferfish are very good and easy to clean but the porcupine puffers are good but you have to be licensed to clean them. Your lips still get a little numb but that's fun.
Apr 3, 2020 15:14:29 #
If there is one invasive fish in the waters you are fishing there are very likely many others too. To destroy it would not help. But, If left on the bank, a crow or something else would enjoy eating it. I am having problems catching the great american eel in my ponds. I put them on the curb and in a couple of minutes the crows are fighting over them. I hate to catch those slimy things when I am fishing for bream. YETCH!
Apr 3, 2020 15:32:01 #
Eels are yucky, but also tasty...and good Striped Bass bait.
Apr 3, 2020 15:38:11 #
Garry
Loc: Wellborn, Florida
seborf wrote:
If there is one invasive fish in the waters you are fishing there are very likely many others too. To destroy it would not help. But, If left on the bank, a crow or something else would enjoy eating it. I am having problems catching the great american eel in my ponds. I put them on the curb and in a couple of minutes the crows are fighting over them. I hate to catch those slimy things when I am fishing for bream. YETCH!
I had a friend in Niceville, Fl who loved to eat those ells-Yetch!! but I knew better than to catch them and not take them to him. As for the, Mayan cichlid I think they would be good to give them to someone that needs them, or at least would put them to good use.
Apr 3, 2020 15:50:03 #
threeCs
Loc: Allen Texas
After reading your post I decided to see that the Texas rules are and found this out.
Possess Tilapia, grass carp or any other fish listed on harmful or potentially harmful without immediately removing head and intestines except on waters where valid Triploid Grass Carp Permit is in effect. (That being said I guess the thing to do is not put them back into water, and I agree with that.)
As to what is edible is another story. Rules read: "It is unlawful to leave edible fish or bait fish taken from public waters of the state to die without intent to retain the fish for consumption or bait."
To me that is not clear because what some consider edible, I would not necessary call them edible. Guess the Range is in the driver seat here all the way.
I don't consider any rough fish as being edible, I personnel would not put a harmful fish back into the water, but that is just me.
Possess Tilapia, grass carp or any other fish listed on harmful or potentially harmful without immediately removing head and intestines except on waters where valid Triploid Grass Carp Permit is in effect. (That being said I guess the thing to do is not put them back into water, and I agree with that.)
As to what is edible is another story. Rules read: "It is unlawful to leave edible fish or bait fish taken from public waters of the state to die without intent to retain the fish for consumption or bait."
To me that is not clear because what some consider edible, I would not necessary call them edible. Guess the Range is in the driver seat here all the way.
I don't consider any rough fish as being edible, I personnel would not put a harmful fish back into the water, but that is just me.
Apr 3, 2020 16:15:02 #
fishrmans
Loc: Waushara Cnty Wisconsin and Port Charlotte Fl
Mayan cichlids are fun to catch and very good eating. Clean and eat just like bluegills.
Apr 3, 2020 16:30:04 #
Lucky Eddy
Loc: Niagara Falls NY
BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Neogobius melanostomus, Gobie arrondie: INFORMATION
Gobie spawn every 20 days
Gobie spawn every 20 days
Apr 3, 2020 16:35:02 #
Lucky Eddy
Loc: Niagara Falls NY
Help
Critter Catalog
ray-finned fishes
perchlike fishes
Gobies
Information
Pictures
Classification
Additional information:
Find Gobie arrondie information at
Animal Diversity Web
Encyclopedia of Life
Gobie arrondie
Neogobius melanostomus
What do they look like?
Round gobies are small fish with large, frog-like heads, raised eyes, soft bodies, and spineless dorsal fins. Males are generally larger than females. They have a distinctive black spot on their front dorsal fin. Mature round gobies are covered by black and brown splotches that lighten when threatened. Round gobies are distinguished from sculpins by their fused pelvic fin, which is also called a suctorial disc and is used to help attach to a surface in flowing water.
Other Physical Features ectothermic heterothermic bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism male larger
Range length
11 to 30 cm
4.33 to 11.81 in
Where do they live?
Round gobies are native to the Black, Caspian, Marmara, and Azov Seas and their tributaries in Eurasia. (Fuller, et al., 2007; Jude, 1995; Marsden and Jude, 1995; Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
Round gobies have been introduced in several areas outside of their native range. They are an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of North America, with a rapidly expanding range there. Round gobies are beginning to enter the river drainages of the Great Lakes, including the Chicago River, eventually resulting in the invasion of the Mississippi River drainage. (Sapota, 2006)
Biogeographic Regions nearctic introduced palearctic introduced native
What kind of habitat do they need?
Bottom dwellers in the nearshore region of lakes and in rivers, round gobies prefer rocky habitats that provide lots of hiding opportunities. These habitats also include areas with sunken objects, piers, and mussel beds. Round gobies can be found in fresh or brackish water and at depths of 0 to 30 meters. They can survive in water temperatures of 0 to 30 degrees Celsius, but tend to thrive in warmer waters. Round gobies are able to survive in areas with poor water quality. They can also withstand low oxygen concentrations. Both of these qualities made them well-suited to surviving in ballast water, which is how they were introduced in the Great Lakes.(Fuller, et al., 2007; Jude, 1995; Marsden and Jude, 1995; Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat temperate freshwater
Aquatic Biomes lakes and ponds rivers and streams brackish water
Range depth
0 to 30 m
0.00 to 98.43 ft
How do they grow?
There is almost no larval stage in the development of round gobies. Eggs take up to 18 days to hatch. (Sapota, 2006)
How do they reproduce?
Males guard nests and attract females to spawn there. Multiple females may leave their eggs in a single male's nest.
Mating System polygynous
Female round gobies spawn repeatedly, approximately every 20 days, from April until September while males guard the eggs and young. This repeated spawning gives them an ecological advantage over species which spawn less frequently. Females are mature by 2 to 3 years of age and males at 3 to 4 years. Females deposit 89 to 3841 eggs at a time. Fecundity is directly related to female body size. Eggs are laid on a hard substrate, such as gravel, rocks, or even submerged trash, and are then guarded by the male until hatching. (Marsden and Jude, 1995; Sapota, 2006)
Key Reproductive Features iteroparous seasonal breeding gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate) sexual fertilization external oviparous
How often does reproduction occur?
Female round gobies can spawn every 20 days during the warm season, from April to September.
Breeding season
Spawning occurs from April to September.
Range number of offspring
89 to 3841
Range time to hatching
18 (high) days
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
2 to 3 years
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
3 to 4 years
Males aggressively guard eggs at nest sites until they hatch. (Marsden and Jude, 1995; Sapota, 2006)
Parental Investment pre-fertilization provisioning protecting female pre-hatching/birth protecting male
How long do they live?
Maximum reported lifespan in round gobies is 4 years. After males defend their nests during the breeding season, they die. Females can live to about 3 years old. (Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
Average lifespan
Status: wild
4 years
Average lifespan
Status: captivity
4 years
AnAge
How do they behave?
Round gobies are extremely aggressive fish for their size. They will attack other fish to drive them away from an area. They are solitary, although there may be many of them in a small area. They do not travel far, generally staying in one place. Their swimming is characterized by short, darting movements, making it look as if they are "hopping" between hiding places. They generally stay near the bottom of the water. They may make very small, local migrations to deeper water in fall and back to shallow water in spring, but these migrations are only up to several kilometers in length.
Key Behaviors natatorial diurnal motile sedentary solitary territorial
Home Range
Round gobies remain in very small home ranges.
How do they communicate with each other?
Round gobies, like most other fish, use visual and chemical cues in communication. They have a complete lateral line system that helps them to hunt in dark water or at night. (Sapota, 2006)
Communication Channels visual
Perception Channels visual tactile chemical
What do they eat?
Round gobies are voracious feeders. Up to 60% of their diet is made up of mussels in some places. They also eat aquatic insect larvae, the young and eggs of other fish, and aquatic snails. In the Great Lakes they prey on zebra mussels, another Great Lakes exotic from the same native region. They can eat up to 78 zebra mussels each day. A complete lateral line system allows them to feed in complete darkness. In the Great Lakes they also eat the young and eggs of mottled sculpin, logperch, darter species, and lake trout, among other species, making them a threat to those native populations.
Primary Diet carnivore insectivore molluscivore
Animal Foods fish eggs insects mollusks aquatic crustaceans
What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?
Their hop-like swimming style and blotchy coloration that helps them blend in with their surroundings are defenses against predators. Round gobies are eaten by large, predatory fish and diving and wading birds.
These animal colors help protect them cryptic
Known Predators
great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo)
walleye (Sander vitreus)
What roles do they have in the ecosystem?
Round gobies compete with native species where they are introduced. In the Great Lakes, they compete directly with similar fish, such as mottled sculpin, which they completely displace from spawning and foraging areas. They also compete with, and eat the young and eggs of, logperchand darter species.
Do they cause problems?
Because round gobies often eats bivalves that filter the water, they are vectors for bioaccumulation of many contaminants. The contaminants that build up in round gobies are passed on to larger game fish and then possibly on to humans. Round gobies are a threat to native fish species, which they drive out of preferred habitat and compete directly for prey. Round gobies are a nuisance to anglers who lose their bait to them. (Ghedotti, et al., 1995)
How do they interact with us?
Critter Catalog
ray-finned fishes
perchlike fishes
Gobies
Information
Pictures
Classification
Additional information:
Find Gobie arrondie information at
Animal Diversity Web
Encyclopedia of Life
Gobie arrondie
Neogobius melanostomus
What do they look like?
Round gobies are small fish with large, frog-like heads, raised eyes, soft bodies, and spineless dorsal fins. Males are generally larger than females. They have a distinctive black spot on their front dorsal fin. Mature round gobies are covered by black and brown splotches that lighten when threatened. Round gobies are distinguished from sculpins by their fused pelvic fin, which is also called a suctorial disc and is used to help attach to a surface in flowing water.
Other Physical Features ectothermic heterothermic bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism male larger
Range length
11 to 30 cm
4.33 to 11.81 in
Where do they live?
Round gobies are native to the Black, Caspian, Marmara, and Azov Seas and their tributaries in Eurasia. (Fuller, et al., 2007; Jude, 1995; Marsden and Jude, 1995; Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
Round gobies have been introduced in several areas outside of their native range. They are an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of North America, with a rapidly expanding range there. Round gobies are beginning to enter the river drainages of the Great Lakes, including the Chicago River, eventually resulting in the invasion of the Mississippi River drainage. (Sapota, 2006)
Biogeographic Regions nearctic introduced palearctic introduced native
What kind of habitat do they need?
Bottom dwellers in the nearshore region of lakes and in rivers, round gobies prefer rocky habitats that provide lots of hiding opportunities. These habitats also include areas with sunken objects, piers, and mussel beds. Round gobies can be found in fresh or brackish water and at depths of 0 to 30 meters. They can survive in water temperatures of 0 to 30 degrees Celsius, but tend to thrive in warmer waters. Round gobies are able to survive in areas with poor water quality. They can also withstand low oxygen concentrations. Both of these qualities made them well-suited to surviving in ballast water, which is how they were introduced in the Great Lakes.(Fuller, et al., 2007; Jude, 1995; Marsden and Jude, 1995; Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat temperate freshwater
Aquatic Biomes lakes and ponds rivers and streams brackish water
Range depth
0 to 30 m
0.00 to 98.43 ft
How do they grow?
There is almost no larval stage in the development of round gobies. Eggs take up to 18 days to hatch. (Sapota, 2006)
How do they reproduce?
Males guard nests and attract females to spawn there. Multiple females may leave their eggs in a single male's nest.
Mating System polygynous
Female round gobies spawn repeatedly, approximately every 20 days, from April until September while males guard the eggs and young. This repeated spawning gives them an ecological advantage over species which spawn less frequently. Females are mature by 2 to 3 years of age and males at 3 to 4 years. Females deposit 89 to 3841 eggs at a time. Fecundity is directly related to female body size. Eggs are laid on a hard substrate, such as gravel, rocks, or even submerged trash, and are then guarded by the male until hatching. (Marsden and Jude, 1995; Sapota, 2006)
Key Reproductive Features iteroparous seasonal breeding gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate) sexual fertilization external oviparous
How often does reproduction occur?
Female round gobies can spawn every 20 days during the warm season, from April to September.
Breeding season
Spawning occurs from April to September.
Range number of offspring
89 to 3841
Range time to hatching
18 (high) days
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
2 to 3 years
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
3 to 4 years
Males aggressively guard eggs at nest sites until they hatch. (Marsden and Jude, 1995; Sapota, 2006)
Parental Investment pre-fertilization provisioning protecting female pre-hatching/birth protecting male
How long do they live?
Maximum reported lifespan in round gobies is 4 years. After males defend their nests during the breeding season, they die. Females can live to about 3 years old. (Pascualita, 2008; Sapota, 2006)
Average lifespan
Status: wild
4 years
Average lifespan
Status: captivity
4 years
AnAge
How do they behave?
Round gobies are extremely aggressive fish for their size. They will attack other fish to drive them away from an area. They are solitary, although there may be many of them in a small area. They do not travel far, generally staying in one place. Their swimming is characterized by short, darting movements, making it look as if they are "hopping" between hiding places. They generally stay near the bottom of the water. They may make very small, local migrations to deeper water in fall and back to shallow water in spring, but these migrations are only up to several kilometers in length.
Key Behaviors natatorial diurnal motile sedentary solitary territorial
Home Range
Round gobies remain in very small home ranges.
How do they communicate with each other?
Round gobies, like most other fish, use visual and chemical cues in communication. They have a complete lateral line system that helps them to hunt in dark water or at night. (Sapota, 2006)
Communication Channels visual
Perception Channels visual tactile chemical
What do they eat?
Round gobies are voracious feeders. Up to 60% of their diet is made up of mussels in some places. They also eat aquatic insect larvae, the young and eggs of other fish, and aquatic snails. In the Great Lakes they prey on zebra mussels, another Great Lakes exotic from the same native region. They can eat up to 78 zebra mussels each day. A complete lateral line system allows them to feed in complete darkness. In the Great Lakes they also eat the young and eggs of mottled sculpin, logperch, darter species, and lake trout, among other species, making them a threat to those native populations.
Primary Diet carnivore insectivore molluscivore
Animal Foods fish eggs insects mollusks aquatic crustaceans
What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?
Their hop-like swimming style and blotchy coloration that helps them blend in with their surroundings are defenses against predators. Round gobies are eaten by large, predatory fish and diving and wading birds.
These animal colors help protect them cryptic
Known Predators
great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo)
walleye (Sander vitreus)
What roles do they have in the ecosystem?
Round gobies compete with native species where they are introduced. In the Great Lakes, they compete directly with similar fish, such as mottled sculpin, which they completely displace from spawning and foraging areas. They also compete with, and eat the young and eggs of, logperchand darter species.
Do they cause problems?
Because round gobies often eats bivalves that filter the water, they are vectors for bioaccumulation of many contaminants. The contaminants that build up in round gobies are passed on to larger game fish and then possibly on to humans. Round gobies are a threat to native fish species, which they drive out of preferred habitat and compete directly for prey. Round gobies are a nuisance to anglers who lose their bait to them. (Ghedotti, et al., 1995)
How do they interact with us?
Apr 3, 2020 17:05:08 #
Dadeaux
Loc: Florida Panhandle
An invasive species 99% of the time will somehow destroy the habitat or just destroy by interfering with the native species the other 1% of the time it's sleeping...Does not make sense not to help protect the native species...
Apr 3, 2020 17:25:45 #
Apr 3, 2020 17:46:30 #
During the great depression of the 30s I can assure you that people ate bunkers (menhaden) in northeast Monmouth County in NJ. When you're hungry.................
Apr 3, 2020 17:57:10 #
When European carp were introduced into Australian waters the migrants there loved them, wasn't long before they got out of hand and tore up the bottom of the rivers and lakes messing up trout habitat. The started an eradication process and used electric charge in the water to stun them. It is illegal to return any carp back into the water there.
Apr 3, 2020 18:06:34 #
Dadeaux
Loc: Florida Panhandle
Those carp are highly destructive...they will devastate an area...
Cut their throats & let them become food for a native species...or take them home & put them in your garden...uh...make sure to bury them or they will let you know they are not happy campers...
Cut their throats & let them become food for a native species...or take them home & put them in your garden...uh...make sure to bury them or they will let you know they are not happy campers...
Apr 3, 2020 18:09:57 #
They have made fertiliser out of them. Look up Charlie carp, that's what it's sold as. I used to hang them from the barb wire fence and come back the next day and they're gone.
Apr 3, 2020 18:16:26 #
Dadeaux
Loc: Florida Panhandle
Curious if you were feeding the raccoons, skunks, possums, don't think birds since they disappeared over night. Could be wrong definitely wouldn't be the first time & will not be the last. Around here with the coastal crows, herrings, egrets & especially the ospreys any fish left out is fair game. Especially the herrings they will go into the buckets & take out the fish...
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