The mosquitoes wouldnt let me collect much

[BrAin]

Not sure about the "leaves". Will have to check tonight.

[Totenkampf]

yeah now that its perked up in the last tank its definately myrio, though i cant be specific

[h2oaggie]

I don't know for certain without the flower, just based on my personal experience identifying the two in the field.

Brain, how many leaves per whorl?

[BrAin]

Almost certainly Myriophyllum heterophyllum

In regards to the fish, most end up in seasonal pools via overland flow from rain. It is amazing the distances fish/eggs can travel in just a minute amount of water flowing over the surface. I have seen large fish (12+ inches) crossing a pasture in just an inch or so of water.

Good call on the plant name. Google images look the same.

I've seen gar and bowfin swim across the front lawn when it floods. Not lately though.
I forgot the water level got high enough for about a week. Maybe they did swim up from the river.

[decal]

Out of curiosity, how do you know it's not M. spicatum?

Green sunfish are particularly notorious for colonizing isolated ponds and ditches. I've fished in a number of stock tanks in SW Oklahoma that were a great distance from any other body of water that were basically monocultures of Lepomis cyanellus.

[h2oaggie]

Almost certainly Myriophyllum heterophyllum

In regards to the fish, most end up in seasonal pools via overland flow from rain. It is amazing the distances fish/eggs can travel in just a minute amount of water flowing over the surface. I have seen large fish (12+ inches) crossing a pasture in just an inch or so of water.

[BrAin]

On another note, the plant put out some new growth. Its bright green and has roots coming out about halfway up.

2012-06-06_15-58-18_616.jpg

[BrAin]

I would say that these had to swim upstream through many miles of sloughs and ditches based on the location. My issue with that is most of the fish I find are small juvenile size. Is it possible they are in the river and such a small fish could travel that far? There would also be time constraints as the water level drops and becomes impassible after so many hours depending on the rain.

[alexrex20]

Not only that, but you can fish in Texas state parks without a license with paid entry.

That's awesome. I didn't know that.

[Tek]

I've heard similar informarion. Eggs stuck in bird feathers. Im not sure how the fish get there. Every year it drys up for a couple months and then after some good rain they "magically" appear. Plus I can go back to the same area and they will be there again. Kinda like they were formed out of the dirt and just needed to be watered.

yes, and to add to the drying Mollies are livebearers so the egg thing won't apply to them. Maybe They can survive dormant in mud. Who knows? Most probably they are washed down with the rains.

Texas cichlids can also live in saltwater?

I saw a red terror in saltwater at Pet City one time. the previous owner converted his tank to saltwater and didn't realize the red terror was in the sump. It made the transition just fine, and lived in saltwater for several months before the owner brought it in to Pet City.

I don't think so, What I meant was that the Mollies along with the minnows can live in full salt water.

I am not sure about Texas Cichlids, When I kept them, I kept them in Brackish water to start with. They loved salt.

[decal]

not at all, as long as you have the proper license and obey the bag and length limits (if any).

Not only that, but you can fish in Texas state parks without a license with paid entry. Dipnetting and minnow traps are legal methods of collecting baitfish, which includes all the fish we're talking about here.

[alexrex20]

Mollies, Gambusia and Texas Cichlids are common all across the gulf coast of Texas and Mexico as far inland as San Antonio. And yes along with Sheepshead minnows they can live in full salt water

Texas cichlids can also live in saltwater?

I saw a red terror in saltwater at Pet City one time. the previous owner converted his tank to saltwater and didn't realize the red terror was in the sump. It made the transition just fine, and lived in saltwater for several months before the owner brought it in to Pet City.

[alexrex20]

isn't that illegal to fish them out of a state park?

not at all, as long as you have the proper license and obey the bag and length limits (if any).

[Tek]

People dumping there fish

Doubt it, I've never seen any mollies that look any different from the native sailfins, and I've caught a lot of them.

It's easier to catch monster mollies in the bay. I've thrown out a baited minnow trap in Galveston State Park and pulled up a dozens with multiple three to four inch specimens. It's pretty easy to acclimate them to freshwater.

Yeah I think you are right.

Back in the day the local government also used local livebearers for mosquito larvae control. They would introduce Gambusia and Mollys to the man made ditches to eat wrigglers. when the water over ran the ditches the fish would spread over more area. Mollies, Gambusia and Texas Cichlids are common all across the gulf coast of Texas and Mexico as far inland as San Antonio. And yes along with Sheepshead minnows they can live in full salt water

[BrAin]

i think that i have read that fish can also be spread when a bird eats the female and then the eggs are able to pass through the digestive track, not sure if thats true but it sounds good lol. of course, that wouldnt pertain to mollies

I've heard similar informarion. Eggs stuck in bird feathers. Im not sure how the fish get there. Every year it drys up for a couple months and then after some good rain they "magically" appear. Plus I can go back to the same area and they will be there again. Kinda like they were formed out of the dirt and just needed to be watered.