2 replies to this topic

[centrarchid]

We run active nest pretty much year round.  Periodically we run into outbreaks / eruptions of mites and seed shrimp that collect in nest.  Former we are very confident damage embryos and nest bound prolarvae.  Latter we suspect do the same.  

 

A peculiar behavior we see female sunfish of all species doing before spawning we call rock-biting may be a way of assessing a nest for such outbreaks.  The outbreaks may in part be a function of males being fed while nesting.

[dac343]

I would be interested in ostracod effects (hopefully we are talking about the same thing).  We have used them in the past at our mussel hatchery to help clean juvenile freshwater mussels (ones less than 500um).  We have problems every now and then with stalked ciliates and fungal outbreaks in our systems and they seem to do a heck of a job removing them off of the shell and cleaning up dead individuals that have fungused up.  We do see them explode in fish systems that have been fed pellets.  Interesting that you may be seeing detrimental effects.

[centrarchid]

Densites we see are extremely looking almost like swarms of bees.