Found on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico from northeast northeast Florida, U.S.A. to Veracruz, Mexico.

HABITAT:

The gulf killifish can tolerate low oxygen and variable salinity ranging from fresh water to salt concentrations several times that of seawater. They also have high tolerance for temperature variability. They feed primarily on crustaceans and other smaller fish species.

SPAWNING:

Six hundred broodfish should be stocked in a 2 to 1 ratio of females to males. The fish should be fed fish minnow meal at 5% of body weight/day. Spawning mats made of Spanish moss sandwiched between plastic coated wire should be place at ponds edge 25 mats per acre in a half-acre or quarter acre pond. Mats should be staked just under the surface of the water, and left for 1 to 7 days depending on egg cover. Mats should then be transferred to another pond for hatching. In incubation of eggs temperatures of 22-26 degrees Celsius seem to be effective. Approximately 1600 fry hatch and survive per mat.

GROWTH:

These fish can grow from hatch to growout (2.5 to 3 inches) in 4 to 5 months.

USES:

These fish are used as bait on the gulf coast of Texas year-round. Secondly, they are used as a baitfish along the northern gulf coast from New Orleans, LA to Pensacola, FL.

CULTURE:

Fry are stocked or transfer at 1.5 inches to growout ponds at 160,000 fish/acre. Depending on number of ponds a single pond, two-pond, three-pond or combination method can be used (for specifics refer to reference section). Stocking rates will depend on method used. The pond must have a good algae bloom and if stocked at higher densities will need supplemental feeding with minnow chow at 3 to 5% body weight.

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