HORNYHEAD CHUB 



63° to 65° F. * * * Each adult male 

 maintains a small area of the stream 

 bottom as his private spawning ground, 

 guarding it against intrusion by other 

 males, and apparently restricting his 

 own spawning to it the major share 

 of the time. * * * his brief perio'ds at 

 home are spent nosing over the bottom as 

 if seeking eggs to eat. The moment an- 

 other dace reaches his vision he is .off in 

 pursuit, but seldom ranges farther than 

 4 feet from his home. If the stranger 

 proves to be a male he is promptly es- 

 corted away * * * * 



If the stranger should be a female, 

 and if she permits the male to drive her 

 into his holding instead of fleeing, and 

 if, once there, she stays and permits 

 the male to pair with her, the process 

 occurs in this manner. The two flsh 

 come to a position side by side, close 

 to bottom, and, if there is a current, 

 heading upstream. The oversized tu- 

 bercle-roughened pectoral fin of the 

 male is slipped beneath the anterior 

 part of the body of the female, and his 

 tail is crossed over her back, just be- 

 hind her dorsal fin. * * * When this 

 position has been reached both fishes 

 vibrate the posterior parts of their bod- 



ies rapidly * * * and * ♦ * the eggs 

 and milt are * * * extruded * ♦ * 

 since each female repeats the act many 

 times during the breeding season she 

 must extrude but a few eggs each time. 



Food. — The food habits of the 

 pearl dace have received little at- 

 tention. From the studies avail- 

 able, it seems probable that insects 

 are preferred, but the fish has been 

 known to feed on phytoplankton, 

 mollusks, surface drift, and water 

 mites. 



Importance. — It is possible that 

 the pearl dace can be reared suc- 

 cessfully in artificial ponds, and 

 that bait sufficiently large for 

 catching panfish could be raised 

 in one season. Because it makes a 

 fine growth in northern boggy 

 waters, this fish could be raised in 

 northern areas in places where 

 land is cheap. For dealers with 

 little working capital, this species 

 seems to oifer excellent opportuni- 

 ties. 



HORNYHEAD CHUB Nocomis b/guffafus 



Also called Redtail Chub. 



LIFE HISTORY 



Description. — Heavy, robust 

 minnow; blunt nose; large scales 

 clearly outlined ; large diffuse black 

 spot at base of tail, tail fin red in 



young (accounting for some call- 

 ing it the redtail chub) ; small 

 barbels at corners of mouth; body 

 color usually olivaceoiis; large 

 tubercles on top of head and orange- 



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