Redside Dace

Redside Dace The redside dace (Clinostomus elongates) is a medium-sized minnow species that is endemic to North America.

It averages around 60 cm and can be distinguished by a dark lateral line and protruding lower jaw. Above the lateral line is a dark olive color that fades to white as it passes the lateral line. During spawning season, the redside dace develops a beautiful red color below this line. The redside dace is found in headwater streams with little degradation. It has a limited habitat range due to land t

ransformation and is listed as a state endangered species in Indiana, as well as several other states where it is found. It can be considered an indicator species for stream health. They are by-site surface feeders, meaning that they must be able to see insects on the water’s surface. This contributes to the redside dace’s inability to inhabit polluted or turbid streams. Typical habitat for this species is a clear pool with woody debris and overhanging vegetation that provides shade and keeps the water temperature cool.

Address

Manchester College
North Manchester, IN

General information

Manchester College is conducting a 4 year study of the redside dace. We are currently on the third year of this project. In previous years, fish were spawned and raised in a living stream on the college’s campus. Larval development was also tracked and documented for the first 31 days after spawning. Students took tissue samples to the Pritzker Lab in the Field Museum in Chicago to begin genetic work on the redside dace. This work is all being carried over into this year and built upon. In late March of this year (2011), 212 fish were captured in one stream and transferred to another in an effort to establish a new population in that stream. On April 17th we returned to three different stream sites to see if the fish were in spawning condition. The location of the streams is not being shared because of the state-endangered status of the species. We did find a few females that were ready and several males that were. The eggs of the females were stripped into a bucket of water by gently applying pressure down their sides. They were fertilized by the males in a similar manner. The water was stirred with a large feather and covered so the fertilized eggs would not be disturbed. These eggs were taken back to the lab to be raised and monitored. On April 18th a second spawn was caught and also taken back to the lab. Each spawn was kept separate and after disinfection placed in a tank to develop. The second spawn developed a fungus and did not survive. The development of the first spawn was documented everyday for 32 days and photographs were taken. They can be seen under the photos link with descriptions of how many hours past fertilization they are and what region of the fish is being viewed. This development will be compared to one from last year. Currently the larval fish are continuing growth in the lab and will be released at one of the stream sites next year. Tissue samples were collected and we are taking them to the Pritzker Lab to build on the genetic work that has already been started. We will continue to update our progress and findings.

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