Echo once again is running the Wisconsin Sea Grant version of the popular 12 days of Christmas carol. Produced by outreach specialist Tim Campbell in 2011, it brings 12 days of holiday invasive species cheer.
Things may have changed since then so feel free to update the song in the comments.
The round goby is very fond of fish eggs. It is a known predator of lake sturgeon and lake trout eggs, and a swarm of round gobies can decimate a smallmouth bass nest. They can also consume zebra and quagga mussels which can cause toxins to move up the food chain, or bioaccumulate.
Round goby. Image: Michigan Sea Grant
The best ways to prevent future inland round goby invasions is to not use round goby as bait and to not transport live fish. This will keep the goby’s gobbling ways from spreading to interior lakes.
- Tenth day: Ten alewives dying
- Ninth day: Nine eggs in resting
- Eighth day: Eight shrimp ‘a swarming
- Seventh day: Seven carp and counting
- Sixth day: Six lamprey leaping
- Fifth day: Five boat wash stations
- Fourth day: Perch on ice
- Third day: Three clean boat steps
- Second day: Two red swamp crayfish
- First day: A carp barrier in the city