After cleaning our large wall tank during Home Crew today, Dan noticed that hundreds of Grunt Sculpins (Rhamphocottus richardsoni) were beginning to hatch! While the juvenile Grunt Sculpins have been hatching slowly for a few weeks now, today marked an important day for this mother who has been fanning her eggs for so long! Check out the video we took this morning! Soozie tried to siphon out most of the hatchlings but they continued to hatch after she finished. God speed young Grunt Sculpin babies. Make us proud.
Fascinating! Where do they go now? Do they stay in the tank or are they released into the wild? Good thing you don't have to hand feed them.
ReplyDeleteThis video and the one with the crab stealing from star fish are great! What a wonderful way to keep us connected with what's going on out on the dock.
ReplyDeleteHi Barry,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on the blog! The young grunt sculpins are released into the water below the PTMSC pier because they need dark places in which to hide and grow. Also, since they are so small, the tank flow is too strong for them. They have a much better chance of survival out in the wild!
-Liza
What struck me, in addition to the excitement of seeing the hatchlings, is the color of the grunt sculpin living in the barnacle shell. It's coloration looks fresh from the wild, making me think it's healthy. This is something I look for when I observe fish in captivity - coloration.
ReplyDeleteNice Job!!! Anne
The blog is a wonderful way to stay in touch with the animals during the winter, without getting frostbite! Thanks for keeping us informed on the grunt sculpin life cycle. These fish are terrific ambassadors for visitors who are new to PNW marine life. The charming fish seem curious about us (humans) and their unique manner of "walking" about on their pectoral fins never fails to entertain even the most blase' visitor. Docent/volunteer Linda Martin
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