TY - JOUR
T1 - Potential Impacts of PIT Tagging on a Critically Endangered Small-Bodied Fish; A Trial on the Surrogate Mountain Galaxias
AU - Allan, Hugh
AU - Unmack, Peter
AU - Duncan, Richard P.
AU - Lintermans, Mark
PY - 2018/11
Y1 - 2018/11
N2 - Recent advances in PIT technology have led to smaller tags, meaning that this technology can be used to mark and monitor smaller-bodied species, many of which are threatened. We examined the effects of 9-mm PIT tags on the survival and growth of the Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus, using this fish as a surrogate for several threatened, small-bodied galaxiids. We measured survival, growth, and tag retention in 34 tagged and 34 untagged fish held in aquaria for 90 d posttagging. Fish were randomly assigned to a treatment (tagged or untagged) and were weighed just prior to tagging and then at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 90 d after tagging, with observations made 5–7 times per week to check for survival and tag loss. Survival did not differ significantly between tagged and untagged groups (79% and 88%, respectively), and there was no difference in weight gain or loss between the two groups over time. Tag retention rate was high (96%), with only one tag expelled by the smallest tagged fish (73 mm length to caudal fork). Our findings show that Mountain Galaxias are capable of successfully retaining 9-mm PIT tags in aquarium conditions, suggesting that this technology is suitable for the monitoring of similar small-bodied fish in the wild.
AB - Recent advances in PIT technology have led to smaller tags, meaning that this technology can be used to mark and monitor smaller-bodied species, many of which are threatened. We examined the effects of 9-mm PIT tags on the survival and growth of the Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus, using this fish as a surrogate for several threatened, small-bodied galaxiids. We measured survival, growth, and tag retention in 34 tagged and 34 untagged fish held in aquaria for 90 d posttagging. Fish were randomly assigned to a treatment (tagged or untagged) and were weighed just prior to tagging and then at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 90 d after tagging, with observations made 5–7 times per week to check for survival and tag loss. Survival did not differ significantly between tagged and untagged groups (79% and 88%, respectively), and there was no difference in weight gain or loss between the two groups over time. Tag retention rate was high (96%), with only one tag expelled by the smallest tagged fish (73 mm length to caudal fork). Our findings show that Mountain Galaxias are capable of successfully retaining 9-mm PIT tags in aquarium conditions, suggesting that this technology is suitable for the monitoring of similar small-bodied fish in the wild.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053247742&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/potential-impacts-pit-tagging-critically-endangered-smallbodied-fish-trial-surrogate-mountain-galaxi
U2 - 10.1002/tafs.10102
DO - 10.1002/tafs.10102
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85053247742
VL - 147
SP - 1078
EP - 1084
JO - Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
JF - Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
SN - 0002-8487
IS - 6
ER -