400 Purple spotted Gudgeons looking for a home

The State Government has released 400 of a rare species of fish in southern NSW to boost efforts to bring it back from the edge of extinction.

The purple spotted gudgeon, a small but distinctive and colourful fish, was once common in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers as well as tributaries of the Darling.

In fact, the species was once so widespread that it was used as bait by Murray cod fishermen.

Since 1983, however, the gudgeon has only been recorded rarely at two sites in northern inland NSW and it is thought to be virtually extinct in Victoria.

The fish has remarkable survival skills as it is accustomed to living in puddles and can survive in a cup of mud.

Purple spotted gudgeons grow to between 7-12 cm in length and are found in slow-moving or still waters of rivers, creeks and billabongs; generally amongst weeds, rocks or snags.

Unfortunately, the gudgeon has had a hard time competing against introduced fish species and habitat degradation.

Now NSW Fisheries researchers have successfully bred these unique fish at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre on a large scale, in what is believed to be an Australian first.

As well as fish breeding programs, NSW Fisheries staff are improving fish habitats, with the help of local communities. This gives fish a better chance of survival once they are released into the wild.

The gudgeon breeding program was undertaken with fish collected from remnant populations within the Murray-Darling Basin and others donated by members of (ANGFA) Australia New Guinea Fishes Association.

Four hundred juvenile gudgeons were set free at a secret location between Tumut and Gundagai.

NSW Fisheries will monitor the results of this breeding program and use the data to help shape similar projects in the future.

Macquarie University researchers helped with genetic and ecological assessments in preparation for last week's release.

Life of a gudgeon

Male and female gudgeons put on elaborate breeding displays, with the male cleaning the spawning site and pairing with a female.
Gudgeon eggs are deposited in clusters on solid objects such as rocks, wood and broad-leafed plants.
The males guard and fan the eggs.

Gudgeons eat insect larvae, worms, tadpoles, small fish and some plant matter.
They rarely swim continuously and travel longer distances through a series of jerky darts.
The fish also have an amazing jumping ability.

Note

It is illegal to catch and keep, buy, sell, possess or harm any purple spotted gudgeons from the western population (or any other threatened species in NSW) without a specific permit, licence or other appropriate authority, and significant penalties apply.

For endangered populations these penalties can include fines of up to $220,000 and up to two years in prison.