Frozen fish!

[esoxlucius]

I live in the Northern Hemisphere and winter is truly upon us now. Obviously within that range there are different degrees of winter harshness. In the UK we have it pretty easy really, winter temps can get down to -10°c on occasion but very seldom lower than that. In Northern Canada, and other places, they can experience -30°c or worse!

Now within the Northern hemisphere there are a lot of freshwater fish. These fish obviously have to survive these kind of temperatures. But it got me thinking. Which freshwater fish is truly the king of the frozen winter wilderness? Which fish can survive the most brutal winter water temperatures?

I expected there to be quite a list, but one fish I came across stood out head and shoulders above the rest. It is so hardy it can actually live encased in ice, in a dormant state, until the temperatures start rising again and it is thawed out of its frozen state.

It's only through a bit of research I came across this little guy, otherwise I'd never have heard of it. Meet the Chinese Sleeper fish, or the Amur Sleeper (Perccottus Glenii). It comes from the Amur river basin in NE Asia.

According to the bit of research I did, it is the only freshwater fish that can survive being frozen in ice for any length of time.

It'd be interesting if anyone else knew of any similar species who have this little winter survival "trick" in their armoury.

Cute little guy too!

 

[Friller2009]

How good are gudgeons

 

[esoxlucius]

It reminds me very much of the European Bullhead (Cottus Gobio). Maybe they are related as the Amur Sleeper also has "Cottus" as part of its name?

 

[Friller2009]

yth

It reminds me very much of the European Bullhead (Cottus Gobio). Maybe they are related as the Amur Sleeper also has "Cottus" as part of its name?

View attachment 1531006

they're not closely related. Probably refers to their similar looks.
kind of like Pseudomugil - False mullet
Pseudonaja - False cobra

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

I don't know about fish that can survive, but I know certain breeds of frogs can survive in extreme cold. lol

 

[jjohnwm]

I can't believe that I am responding to another bot thread, but...

...when you mentioned the ability to survive in a frozen-solid state, I immediately thought of the Alaska Blackfish, which apparently has that ability. Wasn't aware of others; that Chinese Sleeper fish is interesting, looks a bit like a fat Marbled Goby. It makes sense that there would be others scattered around the globe as well. I know that the Wood Frog, a very common terrestrial frog species in North America, is supposed to be capable of surviving freezing as well. I can find one in my yard within minutes if I want to, all throughout spring/summer/fall; it's almost a mystical experience for me to hold one and think about this incredible superpower that it displays.

I got a chuckle out of your comment regarding "northern" Canada. Canada spans about 40 degrees of latitude, from about 42 to about 83 degrees north latitude. My home is at about 50 degrees north, so I am still way down at the southern end of the country, but -30C is common every winter here, sometimes for extended periods. The last jobsite at which I worked was about 700km north of my home, at around 56 degrees north, and up there -30C was practically shirtsleeve weather in winter. We frequently had -40C and occasionally -50C...and we were still a long, long way south of the northernmost end of the country. Ask Trouser Cough about cold; I believe he mentioned in one thread temperatures of -70C.

By the way...you do realize that the water under the ice anywhere is pretty much the same temperature in winter, usually just above zeroC. The colder the winter is, the thicker the ice will freeze at the surface, but the water beneath remains above zero. It's like boiling water on your stove; if you turn up the heat, the water boils faster but it doesn't get any hotter. Freezing works the same way in reverse; as more heat energy is lost, more water turns solid but whatever remains liquid doesn't/can't get any colder. So as long as liquid water remains under the ice, a fish in the extreme north is living in pretty much the same temperature as one much further south...except the ice above its head is measured in feet rather than in inches, and the frozen season lasts much longer each year.

 

[fishhead0103666]

I can't believe that I am responding to another bot thread

Pretty sure that esox is not a bot lol

 

[jjohnwm]

Pretty sure that esox is not a bot lol

I dunno 'bout that...

How’s the weather?

Overcast here.

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

Personally, I'll be watching him closely...

 

[Friller2009]

I dunno 'bout that...

How’s the weather?

Overcast here.

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

Personally, I'll be watching him closely...

Stop hijacking threads with your robot pike man theories john, It'll help him learn how to become more human and avoid suspicion.

 

[jjohnwm]

Stop hijacking threads with your robot pike man theories john, It'll help him learn how to become more human and avoid suspicion.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? This is his thread! Although I had assumed it was in the Lounge, didn't notice that we were in a "serious" part of the forum. My bad.

"Robot pike man"????