Effects of Saline Water from North Dakota Lakes on Survival of Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Embryos and Sac Fry

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Abstract
Eggs and sac fry of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were subjected in the laboratory to various dilutions of water obtained from four saline North Dakota lakes; three were sodium sulfate-, one a sodium chloride-type lake. In water from the latter, the percent of fertilized eggs surviving as sac fry for 5 days remained the same as the percent hatched: about 90% at treatment levels of 500 – 12,000 μmho and 68% in undiluted lake water of 18,000 μmho. In sodium sulfate-type water, however, about 92% of the fertilized eggs hatched at treatment levels of 500 up to only 6,000 μmho, with about 82% living as sac fry for 5 days in water from two of the lakes, and only about 54% living for 5 days in dilutions made from the most saline lake (lake water of 25,000 μmho). No sac fry survived for 5 days after hatching in sodium sulfate-type water of 12,000 μmho. From laboratory bioassays and field observations, we estimated sodium sulfate-type water exceeding 8,000 μmho during reproductive periods may decrease survival of sac fry.

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