At New Mexico State University they've taken a look around their desert land... and decided it was perfect for raising Endangered Fish! Silly as it sounds, that's what the University is now doing, by raising at least 7000 silvery minnows at the Mountain Geothermal Fish Culture and Research Facility. This little fish became an endangered species in 1994, and was found in nearly every part of the Rio Grande. Now the fish is found in less than 5-10% of the river.

This little fish measures 3.5" long and has a different way of laying eggs. Most fish eggs take months to incubate, but the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow's eggs hatch in about 24 hours into larvae that can swim in just 3 to 4 days. This is the reason this species once dominated the massive river that spans 3,000 meandering miles from New Mexico to Texas.

In the year 2000, no eggs were produced in the wild, and now with this facility housing 7000 minnows, they plan on spreading their efforts to fill its capacity of more than 50,000. The facility wasn't being used before the researchers took it over. Now it is being used as a teaching tool to show students the importance of this species, how it used to be a major part of the river's eco system, and how to interact with this species. There are two additional vacant buildings that the University hopes to use to raise endangered amphibians in the future.

The facility is also preparing to grow bony tail chub, for which they also
have to develop a special diet. This fish is also native to New Mexico and
Arizona, but has trouble reproducing in the wild, most likely due to changes in their habitat.

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