The Good News is what we’re pissing into the creek isn’t killing fish outright, rather all that runoff from wastewater treatment containing our prescribed anti-anxiety, lowered cholesterol, blood- thinning stimulants, merely make them giggle watching Mom struggle with a faceful of your artificial …
In the current study, the shelter-seeking behavior of fathead minnows was monitored under laboratory conditions for 28 days using digital tracking software to diagnose abnormal behavior while they were exposed to sertraline, which is used to treat depression, panic attacks and other disorders. Sertraline concentrations and lighting conditions significantly affected the time that the minnows spent in a sheltered area.
During dark conditions, sertraline-exposed fish spent approximately 67 to 78 percent of the time that control fish spent in the shelter. During light intervals, fish exposed to sertraline spent between 18 and 42 percent less time in the shelters.
"The shelter was the only dark area during light conditions in the observation tanks; therefore, control fish apparently retreated to the shelter to reduce anxiety, whereas fish exposed to sertraline appeared to display reduced anxiety and did not exhibit this behavior," Brooks said.
– via PhysOrg.com
… which is a big relief for us anglers, given how much we care about our quarry and the fight triggered by us forcing steel through a lower jaw. They can feel good so long as they continue to struggle and peel line …
Now that science has shown that drugs act on fish similar to their effect on humans, we might as well make them eat longer and remain exposed to predation.
It used to be a can opener and tuna fish or creamed corn we chummed with – now it’ll be left over Lithium, or expired pain pills. Some enterprising fellow at TU is probably already negotiating with the DEA to flush a freighter-load of Coca powder down the Illinois River, solving the Asian Carp issue in process.
I wonder, do fish downstream of pot farms have the munchies and easier to catch? Or are they paranoid and harder to catch?
I have fathead minnows in an aquarium of mine. Absolutely fascinating fish, the only minnow genus that the eggs are cared for by the male. They are widely used for toxicity studies, sad, but I suppose it proves the effects of our infatuation with prescription meds on fish in our waters. Pale flabby rainbows would be a better test fish, except they would die roo quickly I suppose.
Gregg
If I understand you, The metal “Beadhead” fad is coming to a close, to be replaced by Vicodin/Levitra head flys. Doc, I need a precription for a dzn. #14 green caddis nymphs.
You think fishing is fun now, wait till they all start growing tits from the dairy hormones.