Michigan Fish Habitats

1. Rusty Crayfish Michigan Fish Habitats Spiny Water Flea Purple Loosestrife Ms. D 2005 Flowering Rush http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/invasive.html Zebra Mussel Eurasian Milfoil Ruffe

2. Why are freshwater habitats Important? • All living things need water • Very diverse in species • Declining rapidly • Recreation • More species rely on coast lines than deep water

3. Invasive Species • What are they? any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

4. Invasive Species • Round Goby – from Eurasia in Ballast H2O, they take over prime spawning sites & change habitat • Sea Lamprey - predaceous, eel-like fish native to Atlantic Ocean. Came through the Welland Canal. Cause decline of whitefish and lake trout. • White Perch – from Atlantic coast came through, Erie and Welland canals. Prolific competitors cause declines of walleye populations. • Common Carp - from Caspian Sea region and east Asia. degrade shallow (by turbidity) leading to declines in waterfowl and native fish  

5. Invasive Activity • You will need: • A invasive species card • Answer the following questions: • Who is it? • Describe your species and their environment • How & and when did they get here? • What damage does it inflict?

6. Salmon in Michigan • Coho or Silver and King or Chinook • Continuous planting for fisherman • Found in all five lakes, pressuring the “Alewives” population • Return to their release site when 3-5 yrs old to spawn and die • Are they invasive?

7. Spawning • Alevin – when egg hatches, comes out of gravel when entire yolk sac is used up • Fry – hides on edge of stream • Fingerling – length of finger • Smolt – loses spots, begins downstream journey • Adult – head to ocean (lake) where more food • Spawner – returns to river it was born, does not eat, uses all energy to battle way upstream

8. Native Michigan Fish • Longnose Gar • Burbot • Yellow Perch • Brook Trout • Lake Herring • Northern Pike • Lake Whitefish • Lake Sturgeon

9. 146 types of Fish in Michigan waterways • HABITAT; The area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs • Cold water dwellers (35-65) • Fresh Water • Clean Water (pollution indicators) • Other indicators include insects and larva

10. Pollution Indicator Activity • Ice cube tray • Spoon • Bucket • Vials • Alcohol • Worksheet

11. Koi Spawning • Should be two males to one female • Males sandwich female to release eggs • Males simultaneously release milt which fertilizes most eggs as they are released • The eggs are very sticky and remain wherever they land • If parents are left in spawning environment they will eat all the eggs

12. Egg Removal • Parents must be removed • Water drained • Eggs removed gently with a paint brush tool • Eggs must then be placed into a small tank with a bubbler and thermometer

13. Koi • Eggs hatch in 24hrs • Should be around 75 degrees • In the first day they need to be fed “boiled egg yolk” and then crushed koi food • To reduce a vitamin C deficiency give pieces of DARK green lettuce • Ph of 7 is preferred, ph difference correlates to fry color