Black Mud Fish Black Mud Fish can be found in the Waikato and and around Auckland and Northland. They are unique to New Zealand and are found nowhere else in the world. Once widespread they have disappeared from many areas in the lower Waikato mainly because loss of habitat. Black Mud Fish have very unusual adaptations for the wetland and lakes/rivers which they live in. For a start they can survive out of water for several months when there habitats dry up, as long as they keep moist by digging under tree roots or into mud or damp leaf litter rings.
During this time Black Mud fish slowey lowey they metabolismes. Slowey reducing the amount of energy they need to live. Kind of like hibernating but without going to sleep. but when water comes back they immediately wriggle to life. Their skin is coated in tear-like mucus, which helps keep them moist out of water and also protects the fish against infection, and they absorb oxygen through their skin. Even though Black Mud Fish have made these changes to the way they live, Black Mud Fish have very very specific requirements for their habitat so that means they can not live in any stream/river/or lake. How Can You Help Fence stock out of waterways.
Plant harakeke/flax and native sedges like carex and toe toe (not pampas) along stream banks and drains. Vegetation rooted in shallow water in and around farm drains helps provide black mud fish with shelter and food and reduces the water temperature, retaining moisture which is essential for mud fish survival. Clear farms drains less frequently, retaining vegetation to provide habitat and shade. Use a digger-arm to protect drain-side vegetation. Protect wetlands on your property.
As well as being mud fish habitat, wetlands filter farm run-off and help keep the streams clean. Create a farm management plan that includes nutrient budgeting, effluent disposal and sustainable peat land management. You can get help with creating farm management plans from the Waikato Regional Council, Dairy NZ and NZ Land care Trust Read NZ Land care Trust's fish factsheet I found this info at DOC.
During this time Black Mud fish slowey lowey they metabolismes. Slowey reducing the amount of energy they need to live. Kind of like hibernating but without going to sleep. but when water comes back they immediately wriggle to life. Their skin is coated in tear-like mucus, which helps keep them moist out of water and also protects the fish against infection, and they absorb oxygen through their skin. Even though Black Mud Fish have made these changes to the way they live, Black Mud Fish have very very specific requirements for their habitat so that means they can not live in any stream/river/or lake. How Can You Help Fence stock out of waterways.
Plant harakeke/flax and native sedges like carex and toe toe (not pampas) along stream banks and drains. Vegetation rooted in shallow water in and around farm drains helps provide black mud fish with shelter and food and reduces the water temperature, retaining moisture which is essential for mud fish survival. Clear farms drains less frequently, retaining vegetation to provide habitat and shade. Use a digger-arm to protect drain-side vegetation. Protect wetlands on your property.
As well as being mud fish habitat, wetlands filter farm run-off and help keep the streams clean. Create a farm management plan that includes nutrient budgeting, effluent disposal and sustainable peat land management. You can get help with creating farm management plans from the Waikato Regional Council, Dairy NZ and NZ Land care Trust Read NZ Land care Trust's fish factsheet I found this info at DOC.
Quite Um Ugly but cute!
ReplyDelete