Movement patterns and home range of wild and re-stockedArapaima gigas(Schinz, 1822) monitored by radio-telemetry in Lake Imiria, Peru

Abstract

The objectives of this study were the evaluation of the adaptation capabilities of re-stocked Arapaima gigas and their individual behavioural movements (males and females) to the wild environment compared to wild individuals still present in Lake Imiria, Peru and their survival rates. Using radio telemetry (external transmitters, 75 9 17 mm diameter, 35 g in air, ATS, Isanti, MN, USA), adaptation and behaviour of externally tagged, restocked cage-raised (124-143 cm TL, n = 14) and wild A. gigas (117-153 cm TL, n = 8), were monitored, focusing observations on individual behaviour and preferential localization in the lake. Home range size determined by minimum convex polygons (MCP 95 ) or Kernel Density Estimation (KDE 95 ) varied from 0.001 to around 4 km 2 , but the average KDE 50 was relatively small (0.1 km 2 ) in comparison to the tracked fish size (117-153 cm TL), indicating strong residency and presumably territoriality in this species. Also observed was that the habitat was concentrated along the shoreline of the lake and closely related to the presence of aquatic vegetation. Home range localization estimates and apparent travelled distance of wild and restocked fishes were very similar, thereby suggesting a rapid and good acclimation and survival of cultured re-stocked fish to a natural environment.

Use of an acoustic telemetry array for fine scale fish behaviour assessment of captive Paiche, Arapaima gigas, breeders

“…Transmitters (16 × 80 mm, 76 KHz) weighing 35 g (MM‐M‐ 16‐50‐PM, LOTEK Inc.) were attached externally according to the technique described previously for radio transmitters of similar size and weight (Núñez‐Rodríguez et al., ). Briefly, a stainless steel plastic coated cable was inserted using an adapted needle near the dorsal fin after local anaesthesia with 0.5% lidocaine (0.5 ml on each side), and transmitter were fixed to the cable with plastic clamps.…”

“…It is critical to know the locations of individuals over a significant period of time with the greatest possible accuracy when studying interactions between individuals, habitat preferences or reproductive behaviour. Such studies are generally based on radio telemetry (Baras, ; Koehn et al., ; Núñez‐Rodríguez et al., ; Økland, Thorstad, Hay, Næsje, & Chanda, ). With manual positioning, animal detection is performed with the aid of a receiver and a “Yagi”‐type antenna in the case of radio transmitters or with a hydrophone operated from a boat.…”

Reproduction, feeding and migration patterns of Prochilodus nigricans (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae) in northeastern Ecuador

“…Descriptions of black prochilodus migrations provided here represent the best assumptions currently available for the westernmost part of the Amazon basin that lies in the Ecuadorian territory, and hopefully, this framework will be tested and refined through future research. Otolith microchemistry studies (e.g., Hermann et al, 2016), genetic analyses (e.g., Sivasundar et al, 2001;Machado et al, 2016) and radio-tagging (e.g., Núñez-Rodríguez et al, 2015) are other technologies being used increasingly to further our understandings of migrations by Amazonian fishes.…”

Population recovery, seasonal site fidelity, and daily activity of pirarucu (Arapaima spp.) in an Amazonian floodplain mosaic

“…The movement ecology of pirarucu and many other fish populations can be a critical issue in informing their conservation planning. Although considered a sedentary species (Araripe et al., ; Núñez‐Rodríguez et al., ; Watson, Stewart, & Kretzer, ), pirarucu are known to conduct lateral migrations from lakes to the flooded forests during the wet season, for feeding and reproduction (Araripe et al., ; Castello, ). These movement patterns can play a critical role in two pathways within community‐based management schemes.…”