Advances in Captive Rearing of the Devils Hole Pupfish, Cyprinodon diabolis

Authors: Olin Feuerbacher, Jennifer Gumm, Kevin Wilson, Jeffrey Goldstein, Ambre Chaudoin, Michael Schwemm, Mitchell Stanton, Brandon Senger, Alex Jones, John Wullschleger, Javier Linares, Corey Lee

Year: 2021

Abstract

The Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility (AMFCF) began operation in 2013 with the intent of establishing a lifeboat population of Devils Hole pupfish, refining captive-rearing methodologies, and conducting research to better inform management decisions. To these ends, AMFCF has established a population of Devils Hole pupfish in a 100,000-gallon refuge tank using fish reared from wild-collected eggs. From that population we have succeeded in collecting eggs and rearing the hatched fish in the laboratory. Most notable in the last few years has been the ability to spawn fish in laboratory conditions. In all, approximately 200 wild-derived fish have been stocked into the refuge tank, over 1700 eggs have been collected from the refuge tank, and over 1000 eggs have been produced in the laboratory. Control of microbial pathogens and invertebrate predators have been challenges we have faced beyond the general challenges of keeping a rather difficult pupfish species. Working intently with a comparatively large number of fish in controlled conditions has allowed us to gather life-history and developmental information beyond what would be attainable working only with the single wild population.