The southern spotted freshwater minnow, also known as the zombie fish, has been reintroduced into the wild after a successful trial in which more than 3,000 young of the species were conceived in Australia. The fish was considered extinct in 1998, 24 years ago.

In 1998, zombie fish were thought to be extinct. Photo: Middle Creek Aquaculture/Disclosure/ND

Due to its rarity, the species has been studied and kept in captivity by a team of Middle Creek Aquaculture Biologists in the hope that they will reproduce and preserve the lineage.

The test was conducted by just one man and three women, study participant Chris Lamin told ABC News. The number of offspring was much higher than expected by the team of biologists.

The swamp was chosen to facilitate breeding of amphibians – Photo: Victoria Department of the Environment/Disclosure/ND

The return of the creatures to the environment took place on the 6th, in the Reaction Marsh Reserve on Riley Street, in Bendigo, near Sydney, in an area where they have “no natural competition” for space or food.

controlled environment

The biologist also explains that the fish breed better in summer and like to live in the depths of rivers, so a different process was adopted.

“It was necessary to slowly increase the temperature of the water depending on the time of day when the sunlight is strongest, in a controlled environment. Then we observed the behavior of the females and noticed that they gradually grew large and thick bellies, which indicated the emergence of a large number of eggs, ”says Lamin.

Over 400 individuals have been returned to the wild – Brendan McCarthy/Disclosure/ND

Zombie fish have produced over 3,000 babies – Peter Weaving/Disclosure/ND

Mark Toohey, who leads the group of reserves into which the species was released, said: “Let’s let nature take its course. Basically, let’s leave them alone and let the fish do what they do naturally.”