Quote Originally Posted by cannon14 View Post
This is great.Thanks Craig for giving your time to the public like this..I have a question about a microscopic invader called Daphnia lumholtzi, I became aware of it by a guy named Dzialowski. In his speech he talked about how it is being found in kansas more frequently and how it gets into a fishes mouth and can actually chokeon them. I was wondering if this little guy is something we need to be woried about in our reservoirs and rivers and if so what can be done to prevent/eradicate it?
cannon14,

Yes it is something to be concerned about and the KDWP message of CLEAN DRAIN DRY will prevent the spread of the exotic waterflea and other aquatic nuisance species (ANS). Like most ANS, once they find their way in to a water body it is very difficult (usually impossible) to eradicate them.

Here's some info taken from the KDWP ANS Plan.

The following ANS species are considered of special concern in Kansas; bighead carp, black carp, exotic waterflea, New Zealand mudsnail, round goby, rudd, ruffe, rusty crayfish, silver carp, spiny waterflea, white perch, and zebra mussel. Currently, the zebra mussel, white perch, bighead carp, silver carp, black carp, and New Zealand mudsnail are considered priority species.

Exotic waterflea Daphnia lumholtzi. Native to Africa, Australia, and India, this species was first discovered in 1990 in Texas. It has since been found in several Midwestern states including Kansas. Analyses of pre-invasion zooplankton communities indicate that D. lumholtzi may be invading reservoirs in which native Daphnia species are rare. While the long-term effects of the invasion of D. lumholtzi are unknown, it has the potential to dominate late summer zooplankton communities in eastern Kansas reservoirs (Dzialowski et al. 2000). The presence of D. lumholtzi in some Kansas reservoirs indicates a need to monitor invaded reservoirs to document the range expansion and determine the long-term implications of the introduction of this invader.

There are several several waterfleas causing problems throughout North America: Spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus) fishhook waterflea (Cercopagis pengoi) and exotic waterflea D. lumholtzi. All of these are transported in lake water which reinforces the importance of following the CLEAN DRAIN DRY recommendation.

Several of you are probably familiar with the spiny waterflea and the impact it has had on the Great Lakes. These critters gather in such large numbers on fishing lines that they can actually foul the line and reduce catch rates.

For more info on the exotic waterflea, click HERE.