Hybridization of Yellow Perch and Walleye
Thomas A. Wiggins , Thomas R. Bender Jr. , Vincent A. Mudrak & Michael A.
Takacs
To cite this article: Thomas A. Wiggins , Thomas R. Bender Jr. , Vincent A. Mudrak & Michael A.
Takacs (1983) Hybridization of Yellow Perch and Walleye, The Progressive Fish-Culturist, 45:2,
131-132,


Development of the yellow perch female x walleye male
embryos appeared to be comparable to that of the perch
and walleyec ontrols( Table 1). The embryosd eveloped eye
pigment in 7 to 10 days but did not hatch naturally. As embryos
reached 8 to 10 days some fry were physically removed
from the egg. Forceps were used to free the individual
egg from the jelly mass and break the chorion of
the egg, thus enabling the fry to swim free. Fry not released
failed to hatch and eventually died within the egg.
Newly released fry were placed in a 6.5-L plastic incubation
unit with a continuous flow of 16øC spring water for
rearing. Fry appeared to be morphologically normal.
Mouth parts were functional, and fry were observed
Feeding on decapsulated brine shrimp in 2 days, however,
total mortality occurred after 3 days. Mortality could have
been due to developmental abnormalities occurring after
hatch as a result of genetic differences in the genera,
although the fry appeared to be developing normally and
were feeding. We therefore postulated that fry mortality resulted from inadequate rearingc onditions such as flow,
feed, or rearing units, similar to the difficulties encountered
when attempting to rear walleye f ry in intensive culture.
We demonstrated in the present study t hat yellow p perch
female x walleye male hybrids can be produced. Further
investigations should address those mechanisms, both
chemical and physical that will enhanced the h hybrid’s ability
to hatch, without seriously affecting" normal" development,
and fish culture techniques( temperature water flow,
and intensive or extensive culture) that will permit such fish
to survive.