Swordtails Xiphophorus hellerii are often found swimming through the upper portion of the
water column at Kelly Warm Springs.
amphibian that has exhibited alarming
declines in many parts of its range. It
is extremely fortunate that this toad
continues to breed in this pond. The only
other possible vertebrate natives of the
spring are redside shiners, speckled dace,
and longnose dace. These fish are native in
Grand Teton National Park, but whether
these small minnows occurred naturally
in Kelly Warm Springs or arrived as bait-bucket releases is not known.
Springs were probably common prior to
its inclusion in the national park, it is
impossible to know how many different
fish species were introduced at some point
but were unable to successfully generate a
niche and/or reproduce within the spring.
The (known) successful tropical species,
Amatitlania nigrofasciata, Xiphophorus
hellerii, and Poecilia reticulata, are all
neotropical hardwater fishes that thrive
in the chemical-rich waters of the spring.
Moreover, these species all exhibit great
adaptability and plasticity, and they have
a broad omnivorous diet. The perennially
warm and mineral-rich waters support
a wide range and large biomass of algae,
macrophytes, and aquatic invertebrates
that in turn can support a large number of
omnivorous fish.
Fish of the Spring
While it is crucial to not allow the fauna
of Kelly Warm Springs to paint the dire
problem of introduced species in a benign
light and not forget that park visitors are
forbidden to release or collect organisms,
there is something fascinating about
watching Central American livebearers and
cichlids swimming in a pond with a view
of the ice-capped Tetons. This is especially
true in winter, when the verdant aquatic
vegetation, calling frogs, and brightly
colored greens, yellows, and oranges of
tropical fishes starkly contrast to the deepfrozen world just beyond the banks.
There are at least nine naturally
reproducing fish species in the spring,
and it is believed that there may be
several others not yet documented. Given
that aquarium releases into Kelly Warm
Speckled dace Rhinichthys osculus are one of the native fishes found in the spring.
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www.tfhmagazine.com
October 2010
