Mummichogs, I think... and at the end of the video, you will be surprised to see where I found them! A tidal puddle full of mummichogs - babies and eggs! At least thats what I think they are. I parked in the marsh, right beside this puddle, on Newman Road in Newbury, MA! At first, I thought it was just a puddle left there from the rain. Then I noticed that the puddle seemed to be alive! Lots of motion and activity. When I looked closer, I saw the clusters of eggs and the tiny fish... mummichogs (I think) swimming around! From savebuzzardsbay.org/: Mummichogs live year-round in shallow waters, including tidal creeks, salt marshes, and protected coves where eelgrass grows. Mummichogs can survive in a variety of habitats and conditions. They can tolerate fresh or salty water, low oxygen levels, and water temperatures as high as 95 degrees – factors that would kill many other fish. They feed on insects, larvae, small fish and crustaceans, and plant material at the water’s surface. In winter, some mummichogs bury themselves in the bottom mud to avoid freezing temperatures. They emerge in spring when the weather warms again. They are sometimes called “mud minnows” because of this behavior. The name mummichog comes from an Indian word that means “going in crowds.” It’s definitely an appropriate name – mummichogs travel in large schools of up to several hundred fish!
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 06:30:58 +0000
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