Acoustic and radio-transmitter retention in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in New Zealand
Abstract
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are notoriously difficult to monitor in water temperatures above 20◦C using telemetry owing to transmitter expulsion. To reduce transmitter loss, radio transmitters were anchored to the pelvic girdle and a polymer coating was applied to acoustic transmitters to reduce tissue irritation in two tank trials. Ten dummy transmitters were surgically implanted in each of four groups of adult koi carp, a highly coloured strain of C. carpio. Water temperatures ranged between 7 and 24◦C. After 365 days, the control and test groups of each trial had similar expulsion rates (P≥0.30; two-tailed Fisher’s exact probability test). Expulsion rates for uncoated acoustic transmitters were 60% (n=6), coated acoustic transmitters 50% (n=5), unanchored radio transmitters 60% (n=6) and anchored radio transmitters 90% (n=9). Expulsions occurred 15–362 days after implantation as a result of ulcers at or near the surgical wound. Bacterial infection of the wound appears to be the primary mechanism for transmitter expulsion.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Daniel, A.J., Hicks, B.J., Ling, N. & David, B.O. (2009). Acoustic and radio-transmitter retention in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in New Zealand. Marine and Freshwater Research, 60, 328-333.
Date
2009
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing