SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium unleashes the apocalypse, releasing five hundred 'zombie fish’ into the wild!

In another groundbreaking achievement, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium is proud to announce the successful release of five hundred southern purple- spotted gudgeon into Cameron’s Creek near the Murray River. The batch of zombie fish hatched in June this year and measured just 4-5cm on release.

 

This significant milestone for the breeding program marks a crucial step in preserving and repopulating Victorian waterways with these once-thought-to-be extinct small-bodied natives.

 

In partnership with the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA), SEA LIFE Melbourne houses a small population of the endangered zombie fish, declared extinct in Victoria in 1998, and has created the perfect breeding environment while educating visitors on the importance of wetland conservation.

 

The recent breeding process involved meticulous trial and error, incorporating thermocycles to simulate temperature changes mirroring the environmental shifts these animals would experience in the wild. A pivotal development this year was the enhanced precision in controlling temperature ranges, and the introduction of live food to their diet. This approach effectively triggered the gudgeons’ natural breeding cues, resulting in the largest brood to date.

 

Harrison Stephan, Aquarist at SEA LIFE Melbourne, said, “This breeding success is paramount for SEA LIFE Melbourne and the species itself. It signifies a critical stride toward preserving and repopulating waterways with these small-bodied natives.

 

“The strategy to ensure a larger brood included the addition of live feeds, more frequent feeding, and precise pairings. Egg collection procedures involved removing the female once eggs were laid, allowing the males to raise them, effectively preventing losses from fungal growth.”

 

The release site at Cameron’s Creek, near the Murray River, was strategically chosen for its significance in the gudgeons' previous native ranges. This ecosystem boasts ideal conditions, with an abundance of logs, plants, and ample space for breeding and repopulation. The location was further assessed and found to harbour a healthy population of shrimp and freshwater prawns, serving as an optimal food source for both growing juveniles and adults.

 

Guests can see the southern purple-spotted gudgeon up close and learn about the breeding program in the Wetlands Recovery Nursery on Level 1.

 

About the southern purple-spotted gudgeon:

• The southern purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa) is an attractive purplish brown to yellowish-brown small fish; that has a rounded head and a small mouth.
• The fish grow up to 12cm, breed best in summer and like to live in dense reeds.
• It is thought that the population declined in Victoria as a result of increased river regulation, habitat destruction and the introduction of pest species.
• After the rediscovery of the fish in Victoria in 2019, the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon Advisory Group was set up, with representatives and experts from the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning, North Central CMA, Arthur Rylah Institute, Connections, Goulburn Murray Water, Parks Victoria, the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, and environmental services company Austral Research and Consulting.
• For further information, visit: www.nccma.vic.gov.au