Distribution

Endemic to the Wimmera river, its tributaries and connection lakes, also Endemic to the Mosquito creek. Common in its range in static or slow moving waters, often found in large schools near the surface out in the middle of weir pools and lakes like Lake Hindmarsh, or above weed or woody debris, has high tolerance to salt and is found in estuaries.

Size

Maximum size about 10cm, commonly 5cm.

Breeding

Breeds mostly in Spring when water temperatures reach 15¢ªC, eggs are laid amongst aquatic vegetation and hatch in about 10 days.

Diet

Insects, zooplankton and algae.

Utility

Important fodder species for all piscivorous fish and bird species.

Distribution

Introduced to some Wimmera lakes and tributaries, Common in the Wartook reservoir and MacKenzie river down to Northern Grampians Road Bridge.

Size

Known to reach 14 kg in Australia, 2 kg fish can be caught in the Wimmera.

Breeding

Spawns in winter, laying its eggs in gravel beds in cold fast flowing streams.

Diet

Aquatic crustaceans, molluscs, insects and small fish.

Utility

Prized angling and eating species.
Predator of endemic fish species, putting Mountain galaxias populations at risk.

Distribution

Introduced to the Wimmera river and connecting lakes, Common in its range in static or slow moving waters, often found in weed beds.

Size

Commonly to 4 kg in Australia, maximum weight of 60 kg.

Breeding

Spawns in Spring and Summer when temperatures reach 18 to 20¢ªC, laid on bottom in aquatic plants. Large spawning events occur in lake Hindmarsh in the right conditions, with fingerling migration moving upstream.

Diet

Shrimp, yabbies, molluscs, insect larvae, fish eggs and seeds. Will also eat aquatic plants and detritus if food is scarce and in doing so, upsets the whole aquatic ecosystem as well as increasing turbidity reducing emergent vegetation growth.

Utility

Harvested commercially by bait fishers for cray pots. Not considered a good eating fish locally, and all caught carp must not be returned to the water and be disposed of thoughtfully.

Distribution

Non-endemic to the Wimmera River. Has been found in Lake Wartook, the McKenzie River and Mt. Zero channel. The most likely this species is introduced to Lake Wartook by redfin fishers as bait collected from the costal catchments. And it is possible that it enters the Wimmera via the inter-basin transfer of water from the Wannon and Glenelg rivers. Has high tolerance to salt and its larvae are in estuaries. Generally found in still or gently flowing streams and rivers, and lakes at low elevations.

Size

Maximum size about 19cm, but generally below 10cm.

Breeding

In land-locked populations this species lay their adhesive eggs on stream side riparian vegetation during spring floods, where the eggs develop out of water for two weeks then hatch during the next inundation. The larvae wash down into farm dams and lakes and then feed on zooplankton.

Diet

Terrestrial and aquatic insects and their larvae, and zooplankton.

Utility

Important bait and fodder fish for the larger angling species.

Distribution

Endemic to the Wimmera river, its tributaries and connecting lakes, also Endemic to the Mosquito creek. Found in Burnt, Fyans and Mt. William creeks, Lake Hindmarsh and the Mackenzie and Wimmera Rivers.
Common in its range in static or slow moving waters, often found in weed beds, has high tolerance to salt up to full sea water. 35ppt

Size

Adults are normallyaround 80 mm with females reaching over 100mm¡¯s; the largest I have collected was a 150mm female.

Breeding

Breeds in early summer when the water temperature reaches 20¢ªC around 500 hundred adhesive eggs are laid on a hard surface that the male has cleaned, he courts the female and after spawning tends to the egg mass till they hatch. A male can tend to more than three spawns in succession.
Males breeding colour consists of developing a darker sooty colour in the head. Female colour does not change, but the abdomen becomes extended with her ovaries.

Diet

Most live animals that it can swallow whole. Shrimp, yabbies, tadpoles, insect larvae, large zooplankton, fish including Gambusia and its own kind.

Utility

Important forage fish eaten by piscivorus birds and fish. Commonly used as bait. Lives well and spawns in aquaria but needs live food.

Distribution

Non-endemic to the Wimmera River, Common within its range prefers static or slow moving waters, often found in weed beds, has high tolerance to salinity, up to 35ppt. Common in the Horsham weir pool.

Size

Recorded up to 900mm and 6.5kg, the common size for the Wimmera is 300gm ranging up to 1kg.

Breeding

Male builds a nest by clearing the bottom to 2 meter cycle at around 1 metre in depth, he then collects small stones and pebbles and builds a pile in the centre of the clear area. The male then courts a female until they spawn over the pebble nest; the male then actively guards the nest from predators such as carp. He will continue to guard the nest after the fish larvae hatch.

Diet

Shrimp and yabbies, Mussels, and chironomid larvae.

Utility

Good eating and angling species.

Distribution

Introduced to the Wimmera River, its tributaries and connecting lakes, also introduced to the Mosquito creek. Common in its range in static or slow moving waters, often found in weed beds, and lives in stock dams moving around the channel systems during dam filling.

Breeding

Known to spawn when water temperatures reach 20¢ªC, a large number of small eggs 1mm in diameter are laid in aquatic vegetation. Eggs stick to vegetation, and hatch in about one week.

Diet

Detritus, plants and aquatic insects and their larvae.

Utility

Common fodder species for large piscivorous fish species like cod, golden perch and redfin.

Distribution

Non-Endemic to the Wimmera River, endemic to the Murray-Darling river system.
Tolerates salinities up to 35ppt, prefers slow moving turbid sections of rivers and weir pools and lakes like Lake Hindmarsh.

Size

Recorded up to 23kg, rarely more than 5kg, the Wimmera River produces fish up to 2kg, with larger fish in lakes.

Breeding

Breed when water temperature exceeds 23¢ªC and a general flood coincides.

Diet

Fish, Most live animals that it can swallow whole. Shrimp, yabbies, tadpoles, insect larvae, large zooplankton, fish including Gambusia and its own kind.

Utility

Good to eat, also a useful predator for carp and gold fish.

Distribution

Introduced to the Wimmera River, its tributaries and connecting lakes, also introduced to the Mosquito Creek system.
Native to the Gulf of Mexico. Very common in its range in static or slow moving waters and isolated ponds, often found in weed beds, has high tolerance high temperatures. Absent from higher reaches of the Wimmera river tributaries.
Often is the first fish seen due to its habit of moving into very shallow water on hot days. Easily collected by children or as bait.

Size

Female reaches 6 cm and male reaches 3.5cm

Breeding

Livebearer

Diet

Most aquatic invertebrates and fish larvae.

Utility

Introduced to control mosquitos, has a habit of harassing other species of fish by fin nipping.
It has a high reproductive rate giving it an advantage over egg laying species.
It also seems to be avoided and not eaten by most piscivorous fish and birds.
Flathead Gudgeon will eat small Gambusia in aquaria but don’t leave them loose in the tank for they will eat the Gudgeon.
Gambusia is likely to be the most destructive introduced fish species in the Wimmera Catchment and Millicent Coast basin due to its direct competition with most of the endemic species.

Distribution

Endemic to the Wimmera river tributaries, also Endemic to the Mosquito creek. Usually in clear pools of small streams around rocks and logs. Tolerant of very cold water, not tolerant of salinity.

Size

Maximum size 13.5 cm, commonly 6-8 cm.

Breeding

Breeds in spring. Adults lay their eggs in shallow riffles in upstream creeks where they scatter their demersal, adhesive eggs over rocky bottoms.

Diet

Terrestrial and aquatic insects and their larvae, and zooplankton.

Utility

Important trout fodder.

Distribution

Non-endemic to the Wimmera River, stocked by the DSE into Wimmera lakes and some times the weir pools of Horsham and Dimboola.

Size

Up to5kg¡¯s in the river but grows up to40kg¡¯s in Wimmera lakes.

Breeding

Breed in spring when water temperatures reach 20¢ªC. Spawn on a hard surface that the male prepares. The adhesive eggs are looked after by male.

Diet

Most live animals that it can swallow whole. Shrimp, yabbies, tadpoles, insect larvae, large zooplankton, fish including Gambusia and its own kind.

Utility

Excellent angling and eating fish. Also serves as a large predator fish for eating carp and goldfish.

Distribution

Endemic to the Murray-Darling river system, and between the Hunter and Fitzroy rivers on the East coast of Australia.
It is believed to have been introduced to the Wimmera and Wannon/Glenelg rivers and Mosquito creek.
Common within its range occurs in static or slow moving streams, backwaters and isolated pools, often found in weed beds.

Size

Reaches 6cm, commonly to 4cm.

Breeding

Egg layer, possibly similar to most gudgeon’s with male guarding a cluster of sticky eggs on hard substrate.

Diet

Insect larvae, and zooplankton, also aquatic weeds.

Utility

Important forage fish eaten by piscivorus birds and fish. Some times used as bait. Lives well and spawns in aquaria and can be trained to artificial food. Has been successfully stocked in water tanks and troughs in the Western District to control insect larvae.

Distribution

Introduced to some Wimmera lakes, stocked in lake Toolondo.

Size

Up to 3 kg.

Breeding

Spawns in winter, laying its eggs in gravel beds in cold fast flowing streams.

Diet

Aquatic crustaceans, molluscs, insects and small fish.

Utility

Prized angling and eating species.

Distribution

Introduced to the Wimmera River, its tributaries and connecting lakes, also introduced to the Mosquito creek. Regularly stocked in all lakes and farm dams in its range in static or slow moving waters by cannel runs or fishers.

Size

Commonly reaches 1 to 2 kg.

Breeding

Breeds in August laying long strings of eggs in aquatic vegetation. Carp predate on its eggs.

Diet

Fish, including its own kind, Shrimp and yabbies, tadpoles.

Utility

Provides good angling and eating, this species is a direct threat to all the endemic species due to its piscivorus feeding habits. Also it is the vector for an Australian virus that mainly affects its own kind when fingerlings reach 5cm causing mass kills.

Distribution

Endemic to the Wimmera river, its tributaries, also Endemic to the Mosquito creek. Common in its range in clear, gently flowing streams that have lots of woody debris, and abundant riparian vegetation and shade. Is very territorial and lives in a home range 20 to 30 m long.

Size

In theWimmera catchment this species only grows to around 300mm. Most are around 200mm.

Breeding

Breeds in summer in small hollow logs or rock crevices, Male looks after eggs till they hatch.

Diet

Crustaceans, worms, insects, small fish and fish eggs.

Utility

Good to eat, but due to its reduced range and small size, it is not often targeted.

Distribution

Endemic to the coastal streams of Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and western pacific islands. Common in its range in static or slow moving waters that are often turbid, Uncommon in the Wimmera catchment and it is believed that it enters the Wimmera via the inter-basin transfer of water from the Wannon and Glenelg rivers. Has been found in the McKenzie River and Mt. Zero channel.

Size

Maximum size about 90cm, generally 50 to 70cm¡¯s in the Wimmera.

Breeding

Sexual maturity for males is 14 years and females 18 to 24 years. Below 10¢ªC it becomes dormant and buries its self in soft substrate. Spawning run involves moving back to the sea and swimming to a spawning site deep in the Coral Sea near New Caledonia. The glass eels return in spring and turn into elvers in the estuaries and then start their upstream migration in early summer.

Diet

Most live animals and possibly carrion. Fish, yabbies, insects, molluscs and small terrestrial animals. Eg mice and ducklings.

Utility

Considered good eating

Distribution

Non-endemic to the Wimmera River, endemic to the Murray-Darling river system. DSE stock the Wimmera weir pool regularly as a put and take fishery.

Size

Has been known to reach 6kg¡¯s in Queensland dams and 2Kg¡¯s in Victorian dams, but in the Horsham weir pool typically reaches 1kg.

Breeding

Spawns when floods and water temperatures of 21¢ªC coincide in spring early summer.

Diet

Shrimp and yabbies, insect larvae, (mainly chironomid larvae), and large zooplankton. Also soft aquatic weeds.

Utility

Good angling and eating species. Often caught by children.

Distribution

Endemic to the Wimmera river, its tributaries, also Endemic to the Mosquito creek. Common in its range in static or slow moving streams, generally only found in reaches with healthy overhanging riparian vegetation, eg: (Teatree) always found in aquatic vegetation.

Size

Maximum size 8.5cm, commonly 5cm.

Breeding

Breads in October in shallow inundated areas in the last spring floods when water temperatures reach 16˚C. Males become territorial and display vivid colouration. Females are protracted spawners, laying small batches of eggs every few days over a couple of weeks, generally amongst aquatic vegetation.

Diet

Small crustaceans, insects and their larvae, and zooplankton.

Utility

An important fodder fish for piscivorous fish such as Cod, Golden perch, Redfin and trout. An important species for the control of mosquito and midge larvae.

Distribution

Introduced to the Wimmera, native to Europe. Found in static waters, often found in weed beds or deep holes, is tolerate of low oxygen levels.

Size

Up to 9kg, found up to 3kg in the Wimmera river.

Breeding

Spawns in Spring and Summer laying eggs in weed beds.

Diet

Shrimp and yabbies, insect larvae and worms. i.e.: Benthic fauna.

Utility

Popular coarse fish in Europe, seldom targeted in the Wimmera.

Distribution

Endemic to Mosquito creek, mostly found in slow flowing and more permanent areas with ample cover of submerged and emergent plants like in Bool lagoon. Natural tannin stain reducing water turbidity also seems important for predator avoidance. Possible low tolerance of salinity.

Size

Maximum size about 7.5 cm, commonly to 5 cm.

Breeding

Breads in October in shallow inundated areas in the last spring floods when water temperatures reach 16¢ªC. Males become territorial and display vivid colouration. Females are protracted spawners, laying small batches of eggs every few days over a couple of weeks, generally amongst aquatic vegetation.

Diet

Small crustaceans, insects and their larvae, and zooplankton.

Utility

An important fodder fish for piscivorous fish such as Cod, Golden perch, Redfin and trout. An important species for the control of mosquito and midge larvae.