You are on page 1of 24

The Life Cycle of Salmon

There are six species of salmon in the Pacific Northwest.


The largest salmon, the Chinook, can reach over 6 feet in
length and weighs over 100 pounds.

The Salmon
In the fall, salmon deposit
eggs in the gravel of
flowing streams.

Eggs hatch in the


spring, and the
alevin grow quickly.
Later, the
fingerlings continue
to grow toward
maturity in the
streams near their
birthplace.

When they become


strong enough to
swim in rushing
currents, and quick
enough to escape
their enemies, the
salmon begin
migrating to the
sea.

Life Cycle

After spawning (laying eggs),


the salmon die sometimes
inches from where they were
hatched! Amazing instincts!

As they get closer to


their spawning grounds,
salmon change in their
appearance. Some salmon
travel over 1000 miles to
lay their eggs.

Salmon can grow to be


over 100 pounds as they
feast in the nutrientrich waters of the
ocean. When full grown,
the beautiful, silvery
fish begin their
migration back to the
waters of their birth.

Salmon Eggs!
As they spawn, salmon may lay up to 12,000 eggs
very near the place they themselves were
hatched.

These are
the eyeballs
of these tiny
salmon!

Alevin
Tiny alevin grow quickly after being hatched.
When they are as long as your fingernail,
they are called fry, and look like real fish!
Whey they get to be about as long as your
longest finger, they are given a new name -smolt. As the smolt grow, they eventually
begin their migration to the ocean.

Ocean
Bound!

Smolt

These salmon are on their way to the ocean where they


may live for 1-5 years, depending on the species, before
returning to the rivers and streams to spawn (lay eggs).
Only one salmon out of a thousand salmon survives to
return to the river to spawn.
What are some possible reasons why such a small
percentage of salmon actually live long enough to lay eggs?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The Lamprey Life Cycle


Adults parasitize fish before heading
back into streams to spawn and die
Mature larvae
emerge from
burrows in
streams and
move out to
Great Lakes

Lamprey spawn
in
a stream and
eggs
hatch into small
larvae.

Larvae young strain


food from passing water

The Great Lakes Lamprey Tour

1938

1931
1936

The Lake Trout

Are You Kidding Me?

But Wait, Theres More


The Rise and Fall of the
Alewife!

Step One: Control Sea Lamprey


TFM

Going home!
These salmon are on their way back to the waters of their
birth. Scientists do not know how salmon find the exact
location of their birthplace, but their sense of smell (and the
chemical signature of the waters) is an important cue.

Along the way are


many hazards
some more hungry
than others!

Aquatic Environment
Water quality and quantity is one of the most
important factors to maintain fish health.
Inadequate water quality causes more losses
than any other problem!
Factors that influence water quality/quantity:

Feed rates
Feed types
Flow rates
Tanks/containers (flow dynamics)
Temperature

Water Quality
Daily or weekly tests

Semi-annually or
annually

Daily or Weekly
Dissolved oxygen
Nitrogen compounds
ammonia
nitrite
nitrates

pH
Alkalinity
Hardness

Carbon Dioxide
Temperature
Hydrogen sulfide
Total suspended
solids
Chlorine

pH
Measure of the hydrogen
ion concentration
1-14 scale
less than 7 acidic
greater than 7 basic

Safe range
6.5-9

Ammonia
Ammonia
NH3, NH4+

Two forms
unionized NH3
ionized (NH4+)

pH a concern when dealing with exposure


Chronic exposure (un-ionized form)

Nitrite
Nitrite (NO2-)
Secondary product of nitrification

Nitrite levels greater than 0.05 to 0.06 mg/L


can be toxic!

10 times stronger than the toxic threshold for


unionized ammonia
Decreasing pH increases the harmful effects.

Nitrite
Brown blood disease (p. 67 in Noga)
(Methemoglobinemia)-new-tank syndrome
Blood appears dark in color
Due to excessive presence of methemoglobin

Treatment
Flushing with fresh water
Add nitrifying bacteria

Lesions/hemorrhaging in thymus

Nitrate
Nitrate (NO3-) is the final breakdown
product in the oxidation of ammonia
Not as toxic to aquatics
Similar symptoms to nitrite toxicity,
but values must be much higher.

Nitrification: Good or bad?


NH3

nitrosomonas

Bacteria

NO2-

nitrobacter

Bacteria

NO3-

Relationships

You might also like