Status:
The eastern sand darter (Ammocrypta pellucida) populations have suffered from negative impacts on their habitat. Of primary concern is siltation caused by row crop agricultural practices and destruction of riparian vegetation, as well as fragmentation of their distributions by impoundments. Additional impact comes from pollution from acid mine drainage and untreated sewage effluent, and the negative effects of sand mining.
Currently sand darters are listed as a Species of Concern in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and are considered Threatened or Endangered in New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Vermont, Quebec and Ontario. Eastern sand darters have been listed as threatened by the American Fisheries Society, are redlisted by the IUCN, and are currently under federal review.
Collection:
We targeted a known locality courtesy of records provided by Holly Tucker of the OEPA Surface Water Office and records from the OSUM fish collection database. With the assistance of experienced personnel from the Fish Division and from Midwest Biodiversity Institute we sampled the locality with 6x12', ace nylon seines with 3/8" mesh.
When sand darters were seen hopping over the sand we employed a technique where three samplers would kick up the substrate downstream into the waiting seine. Aerators were kept on the collecting bucket throughout the sampling event, then water was poured into an aerated cooler until it attained the same temperature as that of the stream. Then the sand darters were transported to the breeding tanks at the facility.
We anticipate collecting more broodstock, this time in spawning condition. According to literature, the sand darters spawn in late April, June, and July in the Ohio River drainage basin, and even later further north.
Setup:
The current setup consists of sand bottom with PVC sections for habitat and water blowing over the sand. Otherwise the setup is the same as for the rainbow and greenside darters. In the immediate future we intend to lay polyethylene mesh with 1mm holes over egg crate-type plastic grating, supported by 3.5" PVC columns above laminar water flow from a 1.25" PVC pipe that will provide aeration for the sand substrate.