Effect of water hardness and dissolved-solid concentration on hatching success and egg size in bighead carp
Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis is an Asian species that has been introduced to the United States and is regarded as a highly undesirable invader. Soft water has been said to cause the bursting of Asian carp eggs and thus has been suggested as a factor that would limit the spread of this species. To evaluate this, we subjected fertilized eggs of bighead carp to waters with a wide range of hardness and dissolved-solid concentrations. Hatching rate and egg size were not significantly affected by the different water qualities. These results, combined with the low hardness (28–84 mg/L) of the Yangtze River (the primary natal habitat of Hypophthalmichthys spp.), suggest that managers and those performing risk assessments for the establishment of Hypophthalmichthys spp. should be cautious about treating low hardness and dissolved-solid concentrations as limiting factors.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2009 |
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Title | Effect of water hardness and dissolved-solid concentration on hatching success and egg size in bighead carp |
DOI | 10.1577/T09-004.1 |
Authors | Duane Chapman, Joseph E. Deters |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |
Index ID | 70111598 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Columbia Environmental Research Center |