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Trinectes maculatus questions


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#1 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 15 March 2011 - 03:14 PM

Now the last time I checked, it was legal to keep these in WI. I am just wanting to re-confirm this before I set up a tank just for them (and maybe a minnow sp or two).

Also, does anyone have any experience with them? What type of tank setup should be done? I was thinking a fine sand substraight with some smaller gravel pieces, a couple of bigger rocks (fist size, maybe bigger,) and maybe a single piece of wood. ANy plants?

Also, how many could be kept in a tank that is 48"x12".

What other tankmates might be suggested?

Should this tank be a river set up? (with all current pushing across the tank)

And finally, where can they be found?, None of my books state they are found in WI/Ill/MN, but my good friend swears he found some last year in the Milwaukee River.

Any other info is greatly appreciated!

-Nate

#2 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 15 March 2011 - 04:07 PM

They are fairly common in the pet trade; I bet some of the tropical hobbyist sites have caresheets for them. They are not naturally found far from warm seas; if your friend did find one in the Milwaukee, it was probably a released pet.

#3 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 15 March 2011 - 05:03 PM

I cannot wait now that I have been doing more research. I was hoping to be able to collect some, but that doesn't look like its happening.

Thanks for that input.

#4 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 15 March 2011 - 08:47 PM

Also, does anyone have any experience with them?


I brought a handful home from the Florida convention and an accidental tourst spotted sunfish... put them all in a 36 x 18 40 gallon tank... with sand like you said... with some plants, and a stone or two... and did create current across the fron of the tank... fed them frozen brine and such... seemed to work very well for a year or so... not sure whether it was the food or the sunfish getting bigger, but I dont seem to see them much anymore... thinking I may have lost them... but they were very interesting to watch... I saw them actively eat bring shimp off the surface of the sand... and saw them come up out of the sand some times and then 'nestle' back in... very cool little flat fish.
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#5 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 16 March 2011 - 07:58 AM

thanks for sharing your experience with them. I was thinking I would add a topminnow to the tank to help fill in the void, but mainly try to spotlight the flatties!

Was there a specific food they relish and how much current would be too much?

#6 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 16 March 2011 - 10:54 AM

thanks for sharing your experience with them. I was thinking I would add a topminnow to the tank to help fill in the void, but mainly try to spotlight the flatties!

Was there a specific food they relish and how much current would be too much?


I think that topminnows would be fine.

I mostly fed brine shrimp... but think that black worms or blood worms would have also been good (I cant get black worms frequently, and I have developed a strange alergy to blood worms)...

I used pretty strong current from a powerhead, and they were pretty much in the middle of the stream from where they were collected, so I would not worry about too much current...
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#7 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 17 March 2011 - 06:30 PM

They'll eat any frozen or sinking live food. Sand substrate is best; they like to burrow. I have gone months without seeing mine, but stir the sand a little and he'll show up. Small ones like to stick on the glass.

#8 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 17 March 2011 - 07:14 PM

I have developed a strange alergy to blood worms)...

Most people do.

Avoid bloodworms as a food source if you can, NVCichlids. Something like three quarters of people have allergic reactions to them and the reaction just gets stronger the more you are exposed to them. More info: http://www.fishforum...bloodworms.html

#9 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 18 March 2011 - 08:22 AM

Most people do.

Avoid bloodworms as a food source if you can, NVCichlids. Something like three quarters of people have allergic reactions to them and the reaction just gets stronger the more you are exposed to them. More info: http://www.fishforum...bloodworms.html



I have been feeding blackworms and will avoid bloods due to that specific reason. I have access to order as much live blackworms as I want each month for low cost ($10/lb)

#10 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 20 March 2011 - 05:05 PM

Well Wednesday I have off of work, so once I get my stuff done around the house, I plan to hit up 3-4 fish stores trying to find some hogchokers.

I have been running down my list for potential tank mates, but I am not sure if I shoudl really add some? I was considering some native to wisconsin minnow species, some sheepshead minnows, some sticklebacks, or topminnows. What would fit the best in this tank?

#11 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 21 March 2011 - 05:11 AM

Any of those should be fine. I've kept them with swamp darters, golden topminnows, assorted shiners, bluefin killifish, sleeper gobies and a bullhead (not all at the same time), and nobody really bothered them as long as food was reaching the bottom. Of these, the darters somewhat share their space and compete directly for food, which tended to keep me from seeing the hogchokers because they would wait for night to come out and scavenge, when all the excitement was done. Any fish that swims higher up in the water is a good addition since it's basically free tank space. They'd probably even be ok with a pickerel, but I haven't tested that one.

If you think they are present in waters near you, the way to catch them is to scoop directly across the bottom in a sandy or muddy area (can be quite close to shore). They are spawning down here right now. I just caught some .5-.75" ones on Friday, so this is the time of year to go looking. They may be a little later up north where you are.

#12 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 21 March 2011 - 10:12 AM

i contacted my two contacts at the wisconsin DNR over the weekend and they stated they had never found any in wisconsin (my friends must have been a pet released). OH WELL.. I still plan to go out on wednesday and check a few rivers that flow into Lake Michigan in all HOPES that I might find something!

I am definately looking/in the market to purchase some as I want this tank to have fish in it soon!

#13 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 22 March 2011 - 12:14 PM

ugh! Bad news yesterday on my LFS call around. No one has any, nor have they seen them on lists yet.

I am now open to purchasing some from someone. I would prefer smaller ones (might actually be interested in 10-16 under 1", 6-10 1-2", 6 2"+. If anyone is willing to locate and catch some for me that would really be great! Send me a message as I am hoping to attempt to breed ( know it is hard with the salinity changes, but willing to test.)

-Nate

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 08:16 AM

went into a LFS looking for live roti's for my saltwater fry and found a tank labelled "Flounder". I asked if I could search the tank for 35 minutes (i actually removed everything from the tank and ran my hands side by side through the sand), but didn't find anything .

Still on the lookout for some. If I do not hear of any leads by May, I will contact Sach's again and see if they respond.

Nate

#15 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 10:19 AM

went into a LFS looking for live roti's for my saltwater fry and found a tank labelled "Flounder". I asked if I could search the tank for 35 minutes (i actually removed everything from the tank and ran my hands side by side through the sand), but didn't find anything .

Still on the lookout for some. If I do not hear of any leads by May, I will contact Sach's again and see if they respond.

Nate


That would be a nice - low tech - low maintenance - tank... just sand and water... and then you just tell everyone about your highly camaflauged, sand dwelling native fish... :blush:
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#16 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 06:33 PM

That would be a nice - low tech - low maintenance - tank... just sand and water... and then you just tell everyone about your highly camaflauged, sand dwelling native fish... :blush:



LOL that would be great, but my wife would then question "whats in there?" lol.. well she might do that anyways with these. I did promise her a rainbow/killie tank if I can get some hogchokers.

#17 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 30 March 2011 - 07:07 AM

I talked with Mr. Sach's yesterday and WAS working on getting some, but that was then put on hold from a friend at the DNR. This is a guy I had never worked with before, but was referred to speak with him by Brian Torreano. This gentleman was saying ANY NON NATIVE fish cannot be kept (well non native to the state, but still native to the US.)
My heart just dropped... I was like really? I cannot keep my elassoma's anymore, nor am I able to get any fish that is NOT NATIVE to WI? I mean I went away from the typical "tropical" fish because I loved the neatness of our natives, but if we are no longer able to keep anything Non Native to WI that is native to the US, I am not sure how I can keep my oddity habit alive.. there just aren't enough small oddities that are Native to WI (Sticklebacks and mudminnows being the extent of what I can think of that can actually live a full life in an aquarium.)

all plans on hold... trying to get a "scientific permit" to be able to keep hoggies!

Edited by NVCichlids, 30 March 2011 - 07:10 AM.


#18 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 30 March 2011 - 07:35 AM

This gentleman was saying ANY NON NATIVE fish cannot be kept (well non native to the state, but still native to the US.)
My heart just dropped... I was like really?

My deepest condolences. I empathize so much with people who can't keep their pets because of local laws. And then a niggling thought in the back of your mind starts asking you if it's worth moving, and you think to yourself, hmm, I could move, it wouldn't be too hard, and then you're uprooting your entire life and plans just because your local laws were passed by someone who didn't understand you. It's difficult, and I know how you feel. Maybe this special permit is the answer. I hope so. Best wishes that it all works out.

#19 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 30 March 2011 - 06:54 PM

I just wanted to update that I have yet to hear back. He mentioned I could get a scientific permit for round gobies in an email (as I want permission to catch and photograph one...) but who would want to keep those? I want to keep my beloved hoggies!

#20 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 31 March 2011 - 09:44 AM

NVC -- Did you ask said DNR Gentleman where exactly in the state regs this is specified? I'm wondering if this may be his personal interpretation of the rules. Just guessing, but it might be that "keep" in this context refers to fish that you catch in WI waters (so you can't keep and then spread invasives). The intent of this rule may have nothing to do with purchasing non-native fish that are not established in WI waters. Might be worth looking into.

I talked with Mr. Sach's yesterday and WAS working on getting some, but that was then put on hold from a friend at the DNR. This is a guy I had never worked with before, but was referred to speak with him by Brian Torreano. This gentleman was saying ANY NON NATIVE fish cannot be kept (well non native to the state, but still native to the US.)
My heart just dropped... I was like really? I cannot keep my elassoma's anymore, nor am I able to get any fish that is NOT NATIVE to WI? I mean I went away from the typical "tropical" fish because I loved the neatness of our natives, but if we are no longer able to keep anything Non Native to WI that is native to the US, I am not sure how I can keep my oddity habit alive..






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