R. LUNDKVISTone-day fishing trip. I immediately noticed Bruce’s impressive knowledge about
the native fauna and flora. He also explained the challenges of invasive fishes
and plants. (I saw Hygrophila swampweed thriving and blooming in a stream at
Babinda, about 14 miles [23 km] north of Innisfail.)
Bruce had already informed me that catching fishes in national parks
is forbidden. Seines and cast nets may not be used in freshwater habitats in
Queensland—only small bait traps and dip nets up to 39 inches (1 m) are
permitted. Some species are protected; most small species are not, but there
are catch limits. On our way to the first site I became increasingly interested
in finding Pseudomugil signifer and P. gertrudae. Neither are common in our
aquariums. I had never kept Pseudomugil species, but Bruce explained to me
that keeping and breeding them was not a problem and that they usually
breed continuously. Both species live in fresh water; P. signifer is also found in
estuaries, where it ranges into marine and brackish water habitats of the Low
Isles off the coast of Port Douglas. The water temperature varies more in small
ponds than in large bodies of water. In Cairns, the temperature rarely falls
below 68°F (20°C).
Our first stop was at Harvey Creek, some 20 miles (32 km) north of Inn-
isfail. At the place where we caught fishes, the creek was wide and shallow andAMAZONAS
Before I met Bruce Hansen, I visited two
national parks in the Northern Territory.
This is the habitat of Melanotaenia nigrans,
Buley Rockhole, Litchfield National Park.