Spawning Pacific Lamprey

Modest_Man

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jul 5, 2006
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Washington
Took a quick video at work today of some lamprey spawning. We had ~220 redds and ~110 fish in a single tailout.

[video]https://youtu.be/6WPVVOdyZ8U[/video]

These are very cool fish. They're classified as a jawless fish - they have a sucking disc instead instead of a jaw. They suction onto rocks and actively pick them up and move them to dig a circular pit (redd) to lay their eggs. They live in our rivers as ammocetes (a larval form) for up to 17 years before they undergo smoltification and head out to the ocean for a couple years before returning to spawn. They're a parasite in the ocean but don't feed once they return to the rivers.

Photo of their sucking disc-

 

spotfin

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2006
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Maine
Cool! There is an anadromous lamprey here on the east coast. Similar life cycle, except they don' t spend as much time in freshwater as juveniles. It's a shame they are so misunderstood. There have been studies that redd construction by sea lampreys actually benefits the stream bed and makes better spawning habitat for Atlantic salmon in streams where the two coexist.
How big are the Pacific as adults?
 
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