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Mummichogs are very common along the eastern United States coast, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to northern Florida (Walsh). They are mostly abundant in salt marshes and tidal creeks of coastal South Carolina. The spawning season extends from spring to fall. Male mummichogs become brighter during this time. The laying of eggs, or spawning takes place during the new or full moon; that it is when the tide is the most highest. Eggs can be laid in a variety of places. Mummichog eggs may be found in the empty shell of mussels, on leaves of marsh grass, in pits dug out, or spread directly on the bottom (Jenkins). The eggs develop out of the water, and hatching takes place underwater during the moon tide. Mummichogs are known to withstand fluctuating environmental conditions. In the winter months, mummichogs can burrow in the mud or may move go to the mouths of channels. The word “mummichog” comes from the Indian word meaning “they go in great numbers.” Different age classes will gather, often close to the shore, in schools that may number in several hundreds (Delaware Students). Since the mouth is tilted upwards, feeding occurs at the marsh surface or in mid-water. Mummichogs eat various things such as marine worms, crustaceans, small shrimps, insects, and other fish. Our purpose was to observe, monitor, document, and measure changes that occurred in the development of the mummichog fish eggs. The eggs had to be grown in salt water, Rio Grande river water, and Sevin solution. Our objective was to compare the development of the three mummichogs, in the three different treatments. In this experiment, we hypothesized that the mummichog in the salt water vial would be the first to hatch; due to salt water being its type of normal surroundings. Materials and Methods Three different treatments were first properly introduced by the instructor. The treatments were Rio Grande river water, salt water, and Sevin solution (independent variables). Each treatment was in a beaker located on the lab table. Most importantly, each treatment was labeled and color coded so that there would not be any mix-ups during the experiment. The Rio Grande River water was labeled with green tape, the salt water was labeled with blue tape, and the Sevin solution was labeled with red tape. Once the treatments were pointed out, three vials were then gathered. Before going on with the experiment, the vials had to be properly labeled. Therefore, a piece of the red, green, and blue tape was obtained. A marker was then used to write the type of water treatment that was going to be put into that particular vial.
Approximate Word count = 1676
Approximate Pages = 6.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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