Deepwater Cisco
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The Deepwater Cisco (Coregonus johannae) is a relatively large species of freshwater fish native to Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, being one of the largest ciscoes in the Great Lakes. With an average length of 12 inches and weight of 2.2 pounds. they inhabit waters between 50 and 150 metres deep. The species went extinct in the 1950s but but was brought back to life via cloning and temporal dislocation technologies by the Greene Foundation in the late 2010’s.
Description
The deepwater cisco was distinguished by usually having fewer than 33 gill rakers, relatively long pectoral fins, and unpigmented jaws. It was a silvery colour with a pink or purple lustre and a green or blue back.
Ecology
It spawned in August and September, earlier than most other ciscoes. Not much is known about its specific behaviors. Its diet consisted of Mysis relicta, fingernail clams, and various aquatic insects. Because of its large size, the deepwater cisco was heavily fished commercially.
Deepwater Cisco have yet to be released into the wild, but an effort to eliminate invasive Alewife and Sea Lampreys from the Great Lakes is underway and hopefully, once these species are extirpated from their habitat the ciscoes can be returned to their native habitats.
Currently breeding colonies are kept at a variety of institutions. Notably the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Orca Point Aquarium in Orca Point and New York Aquarium in New York