Oriental weatherfish Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, from southern China, have been imported to Germany in large numbers for the garden pond trade. The first record of M. anguillicaudatus from Central Europe, a population that has been established for at least 14 years in a small nature reserve in Germany, is detailed.
The European weather loach (
Misgurnus fossilis
) is classified as highly endangered in several countries of Central Europe. Populations of
M. fossilis
are predominantly found in ditches with low water levels and thick sludge layers and are thus hard to detect using conventional fishing methods. Therefore, environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring appears particularly relevant for this species. In previous studies,
M. fossilis
was surveyed following eDNA water sampling protocols, which were not optimized for this species. Therefore, we created two full factorial study designs to test six different eDNA workflows for sediment samples and twelve different workflows for water samples. We used qPCR to compare the threshold cycle (
C
t
) values of the different workflows, which indicate the target DNA amount in the sample, and spectrophotometry to quantify and compare the total DNA amount inside the samples. We analyzed 96 water samples and 48 sediment samples from a pond with a known population of
M. fossilis
. We tested several method combinations for long‐term sample preservation, DNA capture, and DNA extraction. Additionally, we analyzed the DNA yield of samples from a ditch with a natural
M. fossilis
population monthly over one year to determine the optimal sampling period. Our results showed that the long‐term water preservation method commonly used for eDNA surveys of
M. fossilis
did not lead to optimal DNA yields, and we present a valid long‐term sample preservation alternative. A cost‐efficient high salt DNA extraction led to the highest target DNA yields and can be used for sediment and water samples. Furthermore, we were able to show that in a natural habitat of
M. fossilis
, total and target eDNA were higher between June and September, which implies that this period is favorable for eDNA sampling. Our results will help to improve the reliability of future eDNA surveys of
M. fossilis
.
A stocking program for the endangered European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis L.) was conducted in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, southwest Germany. An initial monitoring enabled to identify local broodstock and to assess habitats regarding their ecological suitability for reintroduction. In a second step, broodstock were caught for artificial propagation and cultured fry were released in previously selected river sectors. Furthermore, reintroduction sectors were biannually monitored to assess stocking success. Within the study period (2014–2016), a total number of approximately 83,500 juveniles were stocked in three river sectors for reintroduction and approximately 85,000 juveniles were stocked in four other river sectors to strengthen existing populations. During the post-release monitoring, 45 individuals were recaptured in two sectors. The documented short-term reintroduction success (i.e. survival of released individuals) indicates appropriateness of the selected stocking strategy. Furthermore, the provided course of action might be transferred to further states or countries and thereby contribute to weatherfish conservation at larger scales.
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