OK, yesterday I made a quick trip to a local lake to obtain a few pumpkinseeds for my tank. The lake is about 6 acres and deep (~110 feet) with heavy aquatic weeds along the edges. I took a few swipes with my dipnet and got some very small pumpkinseeds (~1 inch), a few tadpoles and also some small ~ 1 inch "minnows". Upon closer examination some of those were banded killies. No big surprise there. Others looked, well, odd. I scooped a few more and came to the realization that these things were livebearers! My first thought was "who the heck put guppies in this lake?". But they are everywhere and clearly spawning based on the sizes of 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches. Then it hit me that these are almost certainly gambusia.

Now I know these critters aren't native and I visit this lake a good bit. I never saw them before this year.

I brought a few home and tossed in my tank but the small bullhead gobbled them up quickly. I'll see if I can get back and catch a few more for photos.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Dean

Maybe some government agency is trying "mosquito control"? Just because it's junk science doesn't stop many people from doing it, of course.

Maybe some government agency is trying "mosquito control"? Just because it's junk science doesn't stop many people from doing it, of course.

Bruce, you may be on to something here. Last year the township wanted to stock trout fingerlings in the lake until someone pointed out that the water is on the acid side. Besides, the lake has a good population of largemouth bass that would get even fatter on trout!

I'll call the township to see if they know anything about the gambusia.

Dean

Bruce, you may be on to something here. Last year the township wanted to stock trout fingerlings in the lake until someone pointed out that the water is on the acid side. Besides, the lake has a good population of largemouth bass that would get even fatter on trout!

I'll call the township to see if they know anything about the gambusia.

Dean

Dean,
Twenty some years ago a friend left a bucket of "minnows" on my front door step for my aquarium. They turned out to be gambusia. He had netted them in a stream on the York side of the Susquehanna River. I think the area used to be called wildcat falls.

Harry Knaub

Dean,
Twenty some years ago a friend left a bucket of "minnows" on my front door step for my aquarium. They turned out to be gambusia. He had netted them in a stream on the York side of the Susquehanna River. I think the area used to be called wildcat falls.

Harry Knaub

Hi Harry, interesting that you said that. I know exactly the place in question. The falls themselves are now fenced off as they are privately owned. But I'll try to get over and check the stream where it enters the Susquehanna.

I talked to the township and their response was "what's a gambusia?"

I collected a few more yesterday and two were full scale females almost 2 inches long. Very pregnant too. I am still trying to figure out how to get good pics.

Dean