Anybody here keep native fish?

[Galapoheros]

Native fish is mostly what I've kept over the years. Chain Pickerels, baby longnose gar ..I found a baby Alligator gar too when I was in high school back in the early 80's, it was cool but I killed it by putting it in a bucket while cleaning out the aquarium. Something toxic used to be in that bucket and the residue killed everything. There is a fish related to the Piranha(?) in the San Marcos River, can't remember the name, had a couple of those. Darters from east tx(forgot the name) and kept some texas cichlids and a small, pale catfish that's in the hill country streams, never knew the name of it. Prob some other fish I can't remember. I plan on another native tank.

 

[Avicularia Man]

I kept a Log Perch once. I have been fishing for years and had never even heard of it, let alone ever caught one. Well I was fishing me favorite local creek about 5 years ago and caught on a roostertail. I mainly kept it because I had no clue what it was. According to the site I looked at. It being there was a sign of good clean water. It said they won't live in polluted waters. I wouldn't mind owning a few different trout and sunfish. Long nose Gar are also pretty cool.

 

[NBREP]

The only native fish I kept were small mouth and large mouth bass.
And then I'd go net shad during the winter months.And watch them go to town.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

I don't currently keep fish, but we have talked about putting in a pond (if we could figure out a way to do it and keep the county off our backs- they don't let us do anything fun! we want it in the front, but they'd say its a drowning hazard if some kid were to wander into our locked gated yard) and just having native fish. Unfortunately, CA is picky about letting people keep most natives in captivity, fish included, so we'd probably end up with other US natives instead. If it ever happens, it will be a looooong way away.

 

[sharpfang]

PM me in the mornin'........

I got LOTS of Pond answers for ya...........You earned some of my time and energy, Just from your Pic..........Awesome prop and Framing!:clap::clap:

- Jason "Real fisherman, don't care bout' the time or wheather".

 

[ShawnH]

I kept a lone sunfish for about 6 years in a 15 gallon tank. He was amazing I fed him a big variety of stuff from insects to commercial fish food. My favorite thing about him was he would just up to my finger tips to grab roaches and crickets.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I always wanted minnows as pets, then again they sell minnows in pet stores as feeders so they look interesting. I did keep a very young freshwater eel for 2 months but released it after it got too big.

I should say that it is illegal to release a wild caught fish after it has been put in an aquarium

 

[sharpfang]

I like the Barrel method...

Setting up Wine barrels, lined with black rubber......The pump in the bottom barrel pushes back-up for waterfall effect - Going from barrel-to-barrel of different heights.......Easy to arrange and make space for on the Patio or Walk-way Lilly-pads w/ frogs can be done.

My friend has a Backyard, that you can Only Walk-out along wood decks/Bridges.......It's like a 1/3 of an acre of shallow Pond w/ Koi.
{Raccoons/Hawks/Falcons/Owls Attack!}

Bull frogs Too! "Mosquito fish are nice"

- Jason

 

[Great Basin Ben]

If you check my profile, I have some of my Native fish listed that I am currently keeping/breeding. I only have 3 main tanks still up and running, but at one point, had almost 20!!! I will likely ALWAYS have some Sacramento Perch in at least (1) tank in my house. They are like little desert camo smallmouth bass crappies...

 

[skippy]

I've always wanted to keep some of the critters that I've caught in the local tide pools: sculpin, cabezon, giant kelpfish, shrimps, crabs, monkefaced and various other eels and octopi. Here are some pics from one of my trips: http://sfbats.myfreeforum.org/about2302.html

Only problem is the cost to set up the tank and the permits needed to keep native saltwater sp here in Cali.

 

[TomM]

I had 8 bluegill fry from 1-1.5" but my snapping turtle decided he didn't want them hanging around anymore. I kept him well fed but I guess he preferred the taste of native fish to the store bought minnows and platys.

 

[pitbulllady]

I don't do the aquarium thing anymore, but the only successes I had "back when" where with native fresh-water fish. I've kept assorted Sunfish, young LM Bass, Long-nose Gars, Mosquito and Killi Fish, various Shiners and Darters. This summer, I caught many such fish to feed to my Water Snakes, and just seeing them made me want to get back into native aquarium fish. Those guys are so tough and hardy compared to the fish you buy, that often croak before you can get home with them.
I would REALLY love to have a large aquarium with just one native fish, though, one of the most butt-kickin' species and one of the most underappreciated, a big ole' "Mudfish"(that's "Bowfin", "Grinnel", or "Dogfish", depending on where you're from, Amia calva to the taxonomists). One of my college professors kept a huge specimen named "Hannibal", after-you guessed it-Hannibal Lector, in his classroom. It was quite interesting to see Hannibal devour his monthy rat or chicken leg quarter to say the least, making students take very serious the warning signs not to stick their hands in the aquarium! These things have got some horrific chompers and plenty of attitude to back 'em up with.

pitbulllady

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

Wow I can't believe this thread was revived. I am still convinced North American native fishes are much more entertaining to keep than tropicals.

Bowfin are pretty awesome. They get a wee bit too big for me though!

I'm setting up a 55 gallon and debating what I want to put in it.