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In Pennsylvania Tributary Streams of Lake Erie J. Great Lakes Res. 29(1):34–40 Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes Res., 2003 The Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in Pennsylvania Tributary Streams of Lake Erie Edward C. Phillips*, Meaghan E. Washek, Aaron W. Hertel, and Brian M. Niebel Biology Department Gannon University 109 University Square Erie, Pennsylvania 16541 ABSTRACT. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) has successfully colonized the Great Lakes, where it appears to be out-competing and possibly displacing native fish species. Movement of the round goby into tributary streams of Lake Erie could further jeopardize native species. Sampling was done by electrofishing in six Pennsylvania tributary streams of Lake Erie from June 2000 through October 2001. Round gobies were collected from four of the six streams sampled: Elk Creek, Walnut Creek, Twentymile Creek, and Sixteenmile Creek. The most extensive colonization has occurred in Elk Creek where round gobies comprised 17.1% of the total number of fish where they were present, and occurred as far as 2.25 stream km upstream from the mouth of the creek. Round gobies fed almost exclusively on aquatic insects, and the most important insects in the diet were chironomid larvae. Female round gobies matured at 1+ years old. Individual fecundity ranged from 86 to 591 eggs, and increased with fish length. The plasticity of the diet, high fecundity, and aggressiveness of the round goby may make it a threat to native species in Pennsylvania tributary streams. INDEX WORDS: Round goby, tributary streams, fecundity, age and growth, diet, Lake Erie. INTRODUCTION 5,000 eggs, depending on the size of the female The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is a (Jude 1997, Corkum et al. 1998). Round goby re- recent, and very successful, invader of the Great productive behavior consists of territory establish- Lakes (Jude 2001). Since its introduction, the round ment and defense by males, nest preparation, goby has been one of the most rapidly colonizing courtship, spawning, and paternal care of eggs and invaders of a number of exotic species present in larvae (MacInnis and Corkum 2000). After spawn- the Great Lakes (Mills et al. 1994). They have ing, males aggressively defend the eggs and spread to all five of the Great Lakes from the St. hatched larvae from potential predators (Wickett Clair River, and are very abundant near-shore resi- and Corkum 1998). dents in a number of locations. The round goby is a Additionally, food competition may exist be- benthic species that prefers a cobble substrate, and tween round gobies and native benthic species uses the cover provided by the interstitial spaces in (French and Jude 2001). Round gobies possess rocky areas to avoid predation by piscivorous fish upper and lower molariform pharyngeal teeth, en- (Jude 2001). abling them to crush and feed on bivalve mollusks, The round goby exhibits a number of characteris- which make up the major portion of their diet in tics that have allowed it to be successful in the their native habitats (Skora and Rzeznik 2001, Si- Great Lakes region. Those characteristics include monovicået al. 2001). The abundance of non-native repeat spawning activity within a season, cavity- zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (D. bu- nesting behavior, and an aggressive nature. Female gensis) mussels in the Great Lakes, a food resource round gobies can spawn every 20 days and as many that native fish species are unable to effectively ex- as six times per year, and produce from 100 to ploit, is a likely factor contributing to the popula- tion explosion of round gobies (Ghedotti et al. 1995, Ray and Corkum 1997, Weimer and Sowinski *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] 1999). However, round gobies can be opportunistic 34 The Round Goby in Tributary Streams 35 feeders and feed on a variety of invertebrates, fish was being generated during each sampling period. eggs, fish larvae, and adult fish (Carman 2002, After determining the upstream endpoint of round Weimer and Sowinski 1999, Miller 1986), which in- goby colonization the distance in stream km was creases the potential for competition between round measured using the odometer feature of a Garmin gobies and native benthic fish species (French and GPS unit while walking the streambed. The latitude Jude 2001). and longitude of the upstream endpoint was Round goby abundance is well documented in recorded so that future round goby movements the Great Lakes (Jude 2001). However, except for could be assessed. the Detroit, St. Clair, and Flint rivers (Carman Most collected fishes were preserved in a 10% 2002, Jude 2001), little is known about the extent to formalin solution. All gamefish, such as rainbow which round gobies have colonized Great Lakes trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salmo tributaries. The primary objective of this study was trutta), and smallmouth bass (Micropterus to determine the extent to which round gobies have dolomieui) were released, but the number collected colonized the Pennsylvania tributaries of Lake Erie. was recorded. Preserved fish were returned to the Diets of round gobies were analyzed to determine if laboratory where they were identified to species there is a potential for food competition between and counted. Round gobies were also weighed and round gobies and native species. Additionally, age, measured, and their stomach contents removed for size distribution, and fecundity of round gobies in- diet analysis. Scale samples were taken from each habiting tributary streams were assessed to deter- round goby so that age determinations could be mine how these factors compared with similar made. Fish abundance was calculated for each observations of round gobies in other bodies of species in each stream as catch per unit effort water. (CPUE). Catch per unit effort was calculated as the number of fish captured per hr of electrofishing ef- fort. The relative number of fish of each species in METHODS each stream was also calculated. Sampling by electrofishing was done in six tribu- Fish were measured (total length) to the nearest tary streams of Lake Erie. Twentymile Creek, Six- mm, and weighed to the nearest 0.01g. The length- teenmile Creek, Twelvemile Creek, Walnut Creek, weight relationship for round gobies was calculated Elk Creek, and Conneaut Creek were sampled from using the equation: ln W = a′ + b (ln L). Scales June 2000 through October 2001. All streams were were removed from the area near the tip of the pec- sampled using a battery powered backpack elec- toral fin of each round goby and mounted between troshocker. Sampling was conducted from the two microscope slides. Annuli were counted to de- mouth of each stream (except Conneaut Creek, termine age. where the mouth enters Lake Erie in Ohio) up- Diets were assessed by removing the stomachs of stream until round gobies were no longer encoun- preserved fish. Organisms contained in stomachs tered, and that endpoint was recorded using GPS. were identified and counted. Food items of each Sampling was then continued for at least 0.8 stream taxonomic group were then measured by alcohol km beyond the endpoint to be sure that the endpoint displacement in either a 5-mL graduated cylinder or was correctly identified. Additionally, streams were a 2-mL pipet to determine the volume of each type sampled at sites farther upstream to determine if of food item. Relative numbers (% N), relative vol- there were any disjunct populations of round gob- ume (% V), and the relative frequency (% F) (num- ies, which could have been introduced by bait- ber of fish containing that food item) of food items bucket transfer. The upstream sampling sites were in the stomach of each fish were calculated. From areas with relatively easy access where gobies these data, the index of relative importance (IRI) would most likely be introduced. Upstream sites (Pinkas et al. 1971) for each food item was calcu- where round gobies were not collected were sam- lated for each size group of fish using: IRI = (%N pled for a distance of at least 0.8 stream km. Sam- +%V) % F. Values of IRI can range from 0 to pling time at each site in each stream was variable 20,000, with higher values representing food items because of variation in stream size. Streams were of greater importance. Fish were divided into four sampled in an upstream direction by making a size classes (< 45 mm, 45 to 59 mm, 60 to 74 mm, crossing pattern in each stream to cover the water ≥ 76 mm) to determine if diet changed with fish as efficiently as possible. The electroshocker size. Fish with empty stomachs were excluded from recorded the time (in seconds) that electric current the analysis. 36 Phillips et al. TABLE 1. Catch per hr (CPUE) and relative abundance (% of total number collected) of fish elec- troshocked from Pennsylvania tributary streams of Lake Erie, 2000 and 2001. Common names assigned according to Robins et al. (1991). 20mile Walnut 16mile Conneaut 12mile Elk Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek Common Name CPUE % CPUE % CPUE % CPUE % CPUE % CPUE % Round Goby 137.1 17.1 103.8 30.4 42.6 12.7 13.7 1.5 Rainbow Darter 238.1 29.6 94.3 27.7 47.5 14.2 90.6 9.2 163.0 25.7 Fantail Darter 16.2 2.0 28.3 8.3 8.2 2.4 100.0 10.1 88.9 14.1 Johnny Darter 1.9 0.2 Logperch 8.6 1.1 8.3 2.4 18.2 5.4 610.3 68.3 3.1 0.3 Greenside Darter 206.3 20.8 Mottled Sculpin 3.8 0.5 1.2 0.3 0.8 0.3 57.8 9.0 Northern Hog Sucker 10.5 1.3 3.5 1.0 3.3 1.0 Rainbow Trout 11.4 1.4 23.6 6.9 5.7 1.7 68.6 7.7 69.1 10.9 Brown Trout 1.0 0.1 Bluegill 6.7 0.8 11.5 3.4 Pumpkinseed 2.9 0.3 Rock Bass 2.9 0.3 4.1 1.2 118.8 12.0 1.2 0.2 Largemouth Bass 1.2 0.2 Smallmouth Bass 9.5 1.2 36.6 4.1 Sea Lamprey 1.6 0.5 Stonecat 1.0 0.1 2.5 0.7 6.3 0.6 Yellow Bullhead 0.8 0.3 Brown Bullhead 12.4 2.0 Minnows 352.4 43.7 77.8 22.9 188.4 56.25 146.3 18.4 465.6 47.0 240.7 37.9 Total hr fished 6.1 5.6 5.3 2.2 2.1 2.6 Total fish collected 1,227 771 842 606 517 513 Fecundity was determined by removing the bedrock, where they occupied horizontal ledges in ovaries from gravid females, and then counting the the bedrock.
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