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<br />Food Habits <br /> <br />Young squawfish start eating small crustaceans (copepods, <br />cladocerans) and small aquatic insect larvae (chironomids), gradually <br />increasing the size of food items (insects) until they are about 100 mm <br />in length when fish become the major food item. They become almost <br />entirely piscivorous after 200 rrm (Vanicek and Kramer 1969). Little is <br />known about major prey species of fish. Vanicek and Kramer (1969) found <br />remains of redside shiners (Richardsonius balteatus), an introduced <br />species, most prevalent. It would appear that young of flannelmouth <br />sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) and bluehead sucker (Pantosteus <br />) <br />discobolus), the two most abundant native species throughout most of the <br />upper basin, were probably the most common natural prey species. The <br />present abundance of introduced cyprinids (red shiner [Notropis <br />lutrensis], redside shiners) has probably provided additional prey spe- <br />cies. Recurrent stories of large, dead squawfish with channel catfish <br />(Ictalurus punctatus) wedged in their throats suggest this predator pro- <br />bably feeds on whatever it can catch, including at least this one deadly <br />exotic. <br /> <br />Habitat Requirements <br /> <br />The Colorado squawfish has always been considered a "large river" <br /> <br />fish and is seldom found in small tributaries. They do inhabit the <br />larger and medium-sized tributaries though, such as the Yampa, White, <br /> <br />5 <br />