The black crappie (Pomoxis — culatus) is recommended for several 
: waters 
other than Lago Atitlan because of the need for additional predacious species that will 
contribute large quantities of food for local inhabitants. It commonly reaches sizes of 
one-half kilogram or more and is an important and highly desirable food fish in the United 
States. It is easily caught by hook-and-line fishing or by traps. The young occur in 
large numbers and contribute quantities of food for the bass. After the crappie reaches a 
length of five to seven centimeters it becomes predacious and 
a predatory species. P cious competes with the basses as 
Rio Matagua was chosen as a test — for the introduction of the channel cat— 
fish (Ictalurus lacustris punctatus), because it is isolated from other drainages by salt 
water, and is typical of the hundreds of miles of streams throughout the Republic. 
The southern channel catfish (Ictalurus lacustris punctatus) is recommended for 
many of the streams because it is adapted to murky waters, and to ate) containing deep 
pools with rock ledges and undercut banks. It grows rapidly and reaches a weight of 15 
kilograms or more. The species is easily caught in baited traps and by angling. It is 
believed that this species has the best possibilities of contributing to the food supply in 
areas where suitable streams exist. This catfish is considered to be one of the most 
important and desirable food fishes produced in streams of the Mississippi River Valley. 
Two native species are recommended for introduction into other waters. One of 
these is the guapote (Cichlasoma motaguense) which is said to have been introduced into 
Laguna de Amititlan, where it furnishes successful fishing for large numbers of anglers. 
It also occurs in the waters of the Pacific coastal plain. It is recommended for planting 
in a number of lakes due to its size (reaching one to two kilograms), and the fact that it 
can be caught readily by angling. It is not a game fish by any measure of imagination, but 
is a satisfactory food fish. It has never been propagated but its spawning habits are 
similar to one of its relatives, Herichthys cyanoguttatus (Rio Grande perch), which re- 
produces well in rearing ponds. 
The chumbimba (Cichlasoma maculicauda) of Lago Izabal is a native species recom- 
mended for introduction in other inland lakes because of its size of about one-half 
kilogram, palatability, and reported ease of capture by angling. It has not been introduced 
elsewhere or propagated, and little is known of its breeding habits. We can assume with 
some confidence that its breeding habits do not vary materially from that of related forms 
of the Cichlidae. 
If the introduction of smallmouth bass is successful, and if the species is well 
liked for its food and sport value, it may be desirable to introduce the largemouth bass 
(Micropterus salmoides) into certain warmwater lakes and sluggish streams, types of 
habitat to which it is admirably suited. This species is similar to the smallmouth bass, 
(Micropterus dolomieu), but it reaches a larger size and is better suited to warm waters 
such as those in the lowlands of Guatemala. Both basses are predacious feeders, and should 
be of great help in cropping small fish, thus permitting the production of more large fish 
of usable size. In fertile warm waters of the United States, the largemouth bass reaches 
one-half kilogram in weight within one year, and commonly attains a size of 5 kilograms. 
Streams. 
Factors Determining the Value of Streams 
Streams in Guatemala have their source in springs or surface runoff, or a combina- 
tion of the two. The character of the surface soil, subsoil, and underlying rock have an 
important bearing on the amount and kinds of plant and animal life available for fish foods, 
for they affect the character of the pools, the type of bottom, gradient, amount of soil 
erosion, and chemical content of the water. The amount of rainfall, its seasonal occurrence, 
and the types and amounts of vegetation Peat watershed also have important effects 
on the aquatic organisms. Before recommendations can be made for developing the aquatic 
resources of a stream, a knowledge of its size, gradient, water volume, turbidity, alka- 
linity, temperature, pools and shelter, types and amount of aquatic vegetation, fish foods, 
fishes and other types of aquatic organisms are important if one is to have assurance of 
success. 
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