Lahontan redside spawning aggregation in Taylor Creek
A mass of Lahontan redside slowly move upstream along the bottom of Taylor Creek. What I thought was a spawning migration was actually a spawning aggregation. Fish close to the bottom will rapidly dart into the substrate where males press females against the substrate to simultaneously expel eggs and milt, then quickly rejoin the aggregation. This happens very quickly and is not readily observable with the use of a slow motion function. The colorful fish are very event from this angle, but it this mass of fish is nearly indiscernible from the bank or from above. This is because all the color is on the sides or undersides of the fish, while the back remains mostly grayish. The fertilized eggs are sticky and quickly sink to bottom where they adhere to rocks.
Lahontan redside spawning aggregation in Taylor Creek
A mass of Lahontan redside slowly move upstream along the bottom of Taylor Creek. What I thought was a spawning migration was actually a spawning aggregation. Fish close to the bottom will rapidly dart into the substrate where males press females against the substrate to simultaneously expel eggs and milt, then quickly rejoin the aggregation. This happens very quickly and is not readily observable with the use of a slow motion function. The colorful fish are very event from this angle, but it this mass of fish is nearly indiscernible from the bank or from above. This is because all the color is on the sides or undersides of the fish, while the back remains mostly grayish. The fertilized eggs are sticky and quickly sink to bottom where they adhere to rocks.