Survival and Tag Loss in Moapa White River Springfish Implanted with Passive Integrated Transponder Tags

Abstract

We monitored survival and tag loss among Moapa White River springfish Crenichthys baileyi moapae that were surgically implanted with passive integrated transponder (PIT; 9 × 2 mm) tags. The fish used in the study ranged from 40 to 67 mm in total length and from 1.0 to 6.5 g in mass; the PIT tag: body weight ratios were 1.0–6.1%. Fish were held for 41 d in live cages within a small, warm desert stream. Survival did not differ between untagged control fish (94.5%) and tagged fish (95.6%). Survival did not appear to be influenced by fish size or PIT tag: body weight ratio, but the small number of fish that died precluded a detailed analysis. Tag retention was 100% among the 86 fish that survived over the 41 d. Our results suggest that surgically implanting 9-mm PIT tags into Moapa White River springfish as small as 40 mm is an effective method for marking them because it has minimal impacts on survival and tag retention is high. More work is needed on the effects of PIT tagging on growth and other performance metrics of springfish and other small desert fishes.

Received August 19, 2010; accepted March 14, 2011

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Jason Remshardt of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for providing tagging advice, and Anita Lahey (U.S. Geological Survey), Allison Manwaring (USFWS), and Cailin Doyle (Southern Nevada Water Authority) for their assistance in the field. We appreciate Gary Scoppettone opening up his world of desert fishes to us. Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.