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We used a combination of techniques to determine mean length at various ages. Our goal was <br />to utilize measured changes in length of individual fish as much as possible and minimize <br />reliance on scale analysis. However, recaptures of juvenile and subadult Colorado squawfish <br />were few so measurements of fish aged by various means, including scales (ages 2-7), were <br />used for young fish. <br />Aces 0-70-7 <br />Colorado squawfish average 7.7 mm long at hatching (Snyder 1981). For age 1 Colorado <br />squawfish, mean length was determined using measurements of all fish seined on June 28, <br />1989 from backwaters near RK 87. A unimodal size distribution indicated these were all of <br />one age group. For Colorado squawfish 2-7 years old, mean length at each age was derived <br />from measurements of fish aged using scale analysis. These fish were captured between April <br />28 and June 21 (1991-1994) primarily from the lower reach and many were therefore 2-3 <br />months younger than the reported age. Thus, beginning with 2-year-old fish, annual increases <br />in length represent growth from one spring period to the next rather than from one hatching <br />period to the next. <br />Scales were mounted wet on a microscope slide, a second slide was taped over it, and the <br />scale allowed to dry inside. Scale images were magnified and projected for analysis using a <br />Bausch and Lomb scale reader (Bausch and Lomb, Inc., Overland Park, Kansas). Scale <br />annuli were counted and the missing first annulus (e.g., Seethaler 1978, Hawkins 1992) added <br />to estimate age. Four to eight scales were examined from each fish and the number of annuli <br />most frequently identified was used. We used scales from known-age, pond-reared Colorado <br />squawfish (2-4 years old) for developing our technique and later testing our accuracy. <br />Ages 8 and older <br />For fish eight years old and older, sufficient recapture data were available for determining <br />mean annual growth increments. Growth data were typically used from fish with capture- <br />recapture intervals of 1 year. Thus, a growth increment for an individual fish was the <br />difference in length at capture year i and year i + 1. However, because of low sample size for <br />fish z 600 mm TL, annual growth increments were also calculated for fish with recapture <br />intervals of 2 or 3 years (total gain in length divided by the number of years between <br />captures). Growth increments were averaged by size class of fish at initial capture year i. <br />Size classes were in increments of 50 mm (e.g., 300-349, 350-399, etc.). Analysis of <br />variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in growth rates among size classes. <br />Mean length at each age was first calculated by adding the appropriate mean increment of <br />growth (based on length class) to the mean length of the preceding age. The average length <br />of 7-year-old fish as determined from scale analysis was used as the starting point for these <br />calculations. This process was continued until mean length reached 900 mm, roughly the <br />upper size limit of Colorado squawfish captured from the Colorado River in recent years. <br />A-5