Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arizona
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The Mohave tui chub Gila bicolor mohavensis is a federally listed fish not previously spawned in captivity. Laboratory spawning can be important for recovery efforts by reducing collection of wild fish for translocations, providing individuals for experimental studies, and ensuring survival of the species. Mohave tui chub successfully spawned under a photoperiod of 14 h light and 10 h dark, lowering the temperature to about 9°C for 30 days, then raising to 21°C over an 8-week period, and providing artificial plants as spawning substrate. No hormones were used. Three spawning events produced over 1,700 larval fish used in subsequent growth and survival studies. The student on this project graduated spring 2007. This work was published in 2009 in the North American Journal of Aquaculture.