Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today

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rmcmillen09
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2010/05/14 23:25:57 (permalink)

Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today

Fishing at the north pier today, a couple of biologists came by collecting goby for dissection and study . They stated the goby were feeding on zebra mussel and were specialized because of a grinder at the rear of the mouth. I told them about catching perch that were full of the mussels ,and they told me that the perch could not digest them for food value because they could not grind them up. I remember holding the perch off to the side of the boat so they could spit up the pulverized fragments of mussel and stomach contents before putting them on ice. They seemed confused when I shared this with them. I wonder if they will be able to wipe off what I said to them and happily go on their way?      
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    DaFuNK
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/15 08:52:07 (permalink)
    doubtful... they probably went to try to get a million dollar research grant and spend countless hours in the lab to try and re-create what you told them..

    lol

    inquiring minds HAVE to know


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    woodnickle
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/15 11:14:34 (permalink)
    Lol!

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    RELAYER
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/15 19:20:13 (permalink)
    You find pieces of zebra mussel fragments inside perch because the perch are sucking spiney water fleas off the bottom and just happen to injest some shell fragment in the process. Look very closely and you'll see the fleas mixed in with the shells,some guys think the fleas are freshwater shrimp NOT.
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    dano
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/15 21:34:08 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: RELAYER

    You find pieces of zebra mussel fragments inside perch because the perch are sucking spiney water fleas off the bottom and just happen to injest some shell fragment in the process.

     
    that makes sense.
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    rmcmillen09
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/15 22:33:19 (permalink)
    I do know what spiny water fleas are . And what we observed were broken zebra mussel with meat still attached.I don't know how else to explain this other than they targeted the mussels for food. 
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    Blowchowski
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/16 08:27:13 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: RELAYER

    You find pieces of zebra mussel fragments inside perch because the perch are sucking spiney water fleas off the bottom and just happen to injest some shell fragment in the process. Look very closely and you'll see the fleas mixed in with the shells,some guys think the fleas are freshwater shrimp NOT.


    Spiny water fleas-Crustacean family.
    http://www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_documents/publications/FS/FS-049%202004%20Spiny%20Water%20Flea,%20Bythotrephes%20cederstroemi.pdf

    Sometimes the perch are stuffed full of them.

    I love cats. I just can't eat a whole one..
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    jon_e_si
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/16 09:08:38 (permalink)
    When you look at what the perch up-chucked at one end and what comes out of the hole at the other end and the size and condition of the fish,
    it doesn't take a rocket scientist or million dollar grant to figure out the fish got nutrional value from what it ingested! Unfortunately, as noted that's what too much
    "grant" money is wasted on! (job security???)!!
    #8
    DaFuNK
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/16 10:23:10 (permalink)
    $2.5 million dollars to study feather discoloration in middle-aged turkeys....



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    S-10
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/16 13:46:19 (permalink)
    Actually the subject has already been researched (i think OSU) and perch, panfish and a couple other fish do eat mostly the young zebra mussels although not in large enough numbers to make much of a difference.
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    rmcmillen09
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    RE: Talked to a couple biologists at north pier today 2010/05/16 17:35:14 (permalink)
    As far as the middle aged turkey concern with the discoloration of feathers . I could conduct an effective experiment for 100,000. times cheaper than the state spent. Just pluck all feathers from bird discolored or normal and put bird in deep fryer with 25. dollars worth of peanut oil. 
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