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The Loach Forum Archives (5)
OT ...Darters
Posted By: Jim Powers <jimpowers@prodigy.net>
Date: Sunday, 16 May 2004, at 4:20 p.m.
Today I went to a nearby state forest to see if I could see any darters spawning and check out the cicada situation. No cicadas surprisingly, but I was lucky enough to observe either Orangethroat or Ranibow darters (or both) guarding their redds on the stream bottom. Once I figured out the preferred spawning sites, it was relatively easy to find them. They preferred pockets of clean, small diameter gravel in moderate to low current. Since the bottom of this stream is primarily solid, or fractured limestone with areas covered with flat pieces one inch to several inches accross, the gravel areas are quite obvious. I would approach the areas and watch the darters swim away in the gin clear water, only to come back after a few minutes. At one site, a female entered the area causing five or six males to converge on her, vying for her affection. The males were absolutely gorgeous fish in full spawning colors. The females are less colorful, but look and act very much like my white cheeked gobies. Hopefully, I can return in a few days to see if I can find more fish and more spawning beds.
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