title: Short-term evaluation of visible implant alpha tags in juveniles of three fish species under laboratory conditions.
abstract: Visible implant alpha (VI alpha) tag-induced changes in mortality and condition, as well as tag retention and readability, were examined during a 4-week period for juveniles of three fish species: tiger muskellunge Esox masquinongy × Esox lucius (91 ± 7 mm total length, L(T), mean ± s.d.), Snake River cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki behnkei (84 ± 8 mm) and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (85 ± 5 mm). Mortality and condition did not differ between tagged fish and control fish for any species and overall tag retention rates were high (92% for E. masquinongy × E. lucius, 91% for O. c. behnkei and 100% for O. mykiss). Short-term readability of VI alpha tags was low in juvenile E. masquinongy × E. lucius and juvenile O. c. behnkei. Therefore, it is not recommend to use VI alpha tags in juvenile E. masquinongy × E. lucius or juvenile O. c. behnkei for periods >2 weeks, but VI alpha tags seem to be suitable for juvenile O. mykiss for a period of at least 4 weeks.
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 013 Hardin Hall 3310 Holdrege St, Lincoln, NE, 68583, U.S.A.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Turek
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pegg
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D000823:Animal Identification Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000818:Animals; D017859:Esocidae; D009026:Mortality; D017683:Oncorhynchus
keywords: condition; mortality; readability; retention; tagging