has no paddle
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
So, just what is that paddle for?
In the early 1900s, the paddle was originally thought by scientists to be a shovel used for digging up mud and silt as the fish searched for small organisms to eat. But the paddle is not a shovel, a scoop, or a spear.
If you look closely at the paddle you will notice that it has no scratches on it. If it used the paddle to dig up mud and silt, there would be scratches. Besides we know that paddlefish are mid-water filter feeders and are not feeding of the bottom.
We do know that the paddle and head are covered with thousands of tiny sensory pores capable of detecting minute electrical charges associated with zooplankton, the major food source of paddlefish.
These are the same sensory pores that can detect objects in muddy water that can’t be seen and may be able to detect differences in water velocity and temperature. The paddle also appears to function as a vertical rudder, providing lift, allowing the fish to open its mouth wide for filter feeding with out being dragged to the bottom.
We also know there is no paddle on newly-hatched fish, but by the time they’re several months old, or about 8 inches, the paddle may constitute half of the total length of the fish. As the fish gets larger, the paddle becomes relatively shorter compared to the total length of the fish.
Just what happened to Paddlefish No. 2’s paddle? Well, it’s hard to say for sure. A boat propeller in Lake Sakakawea may have chopped it off, but whatever led to this misfortune, it most likely happened when he was very young and he probably doesn’t really miss it. He may not be quite as efficient at feeding but from his overall health, it looks like he’s doing just fine.
On the rest of the Adopt-A-Fish scene, 14 of the 16 fish that are up for adoption were relocated last week. There is only one blue sucker that hasn’t been relocated this year, and she could very well be way up the Yellowstone River above Glendive. As for the others, they’re primarily hunkered down and still aren’t on the move yet. They’re probably waiting for warmer water and bigger flows.
Missouri River Adopt-A-Fish allows schools, classrooms and home school students to “adopt” two fish and name them. They can then watch their movements on animated maps on the Internet and check out other web pages to learn more about fish, fishing, the Missouri River and native species.
To learn more about it, go to www.walleyesunlimited.com/adopt-fish/home.html. To adopt fish, go to www.walleyesunlimited.com/adopt-fish/howtoadopt.html. For more information, e-mail Gazette outdoor editor Mark Henckel at flatlander@montana.com.
Missouri River Adopt-A-Fish is a joint effort of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Walleyes Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Billings Gazette. Weekly updated will be posted on the Adopt-A-Fish site and in The Gazette each Thursday through April and May.