Effects of Turbidity on Prey Selection and Foraging Rate of Hatchery‐Reared Juvenile Tiger Muskellunge

Abstract

Tiger muskellunge (Northern Pike Esox lucius × Muskellunge E. masquinongy) are stocked into aquatic systems across North America to control undesirable fish species or to create sportfishing opportunities. Because decreased water clarity can affect the poststocking foraging ability of an ambush predator like the tiger muskellunge, we evaluated the effects of turbidity on the foraging success of tiger muskellunge in a laboratory setting. We tested prey selectivity and total prey consumption by juvenile tiger muskellunge at four turbidity levels (Secchi depths of >84, 53, 26, and 18 cm) using three prey species: Goldfish Carassius auratus (a surrogate for Common Carp Cyprinus carpio), Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus. Tiger muskellunge consumed significantly less prey at Secchi depths of 26 and 18 cm than at a Secchi depth of >84 or 53 cm. Selectivity for or against all prey types decreased as turbidity level increased, such that all three prey types had similar neutral selectivity at the highest turbidity level even though Gizzard Shad were positively selected and Goldfish were negatively selected in clearer water. Green Sunfish were neutrally selected at all turbidity levels tested. These results suggest that increasing turbidity levels will negatively impact prey encounters and consumption rates, which likely will reduce growth rates of tiger muskellunge, ultimately reducing fish survival and stocking success.

Resource partitioning across a trophic gradient between a freshwater fish and an intraguild exotic

“…FTG, 2018) than the West Basin, where increased turbidity reduces foraging efficiency Utne-Palm, 2002). Higher consumption rates in both species were conceptually supported by the increase in relative weight for the Central Basin as well as several studies on the relationship between vision and feeding (Andree & Wahl, 2019;Sigler et al, 1984;Snow et al, 2018). Reduced body condition in the West Basin was similar to observations of fish in other eutrophic and hypereutrophic systems in which density-dependent mechanisms can result in poor body condition and slower growth (Dicenzo et al, 1996;Tsoumani et al, 2006).…”

The effect of water turbidity on prey consumption and female feeding patterns in African turquoise killifish

“…In turbid water conditions, turquoise killifish shifted their prey consumption preference from pelagic glassworms to benthic bloodworms. This shift is frequently related to decreased prey selectivity by visual predators in turbid water compensating for decreased visibility and detectability of prey (Hecht & Van Der Lingen, 1992; Shoup & Wahl, 2009; Snow et al., 2018). In wild turquoise killifish a dominant prey‐switch was observed under poor visibility conditions, with increased consumption of backswimmers (Nothonectidae) at night (Žák et al., 2019).…”

The Role of Sea-Whip Coral (Leptogorgia sp.) as Habitat of Temperate Near-Shore Fish of Gulf of Mexico Jetties

“…While turbidity was a hindrance to sampling, high turbidity may be important to fish living within the turbid waters (Blaber & Blaber, 2006). Predation on small prey species or juvenile fish may be reduced because of limited visibility (Snow, Shoup, & Porta, 2018). Reduced predation may result in higher fish abundance.…”