10 replies to this topic

[Michael Wolfe]

Hey guys, I have been browsing this forum for a week straight now. I have had an interest of keeping native fish for many years now but being a college student and then relocating for work many times kept putting my ideas on hold besides a brief period when I had some minnows.

This website is great, but holy cow, what a ton of info! I feel I have learned a lot from reading but still have a ton to learn.

So now on to my ideas which I would really just like some opinions on. Firstly, I now live in upstate NY, near the Susquehanna river and I am interested in keeping strictly local natives from the river or ponds and lakes in the area. As for a tank, I used to have a 75 which housed tropicals but I sold it before one of my moves, and am now just left with a 12. Originally I had always thought I would set up a large tank for some "cool" fish like tiger musky and some cats. But the more I am thinking about it after doing the research now that I am getting ready to set something up, maybe that is too ambitious for me right now. I am thinking the amount of food and waste would create more upkeep along with the tank size itself. Is this correct? Then I started thinking well I see some awesome looking sunfish when I am out fishing, maybe I can find some smaller species for a smaller tank. But, from what I can tell the bluespotted is the only one native to my area which stays on the smaller side? Would a few be ok in a smaller tank? I am thinking around 30 gallons. Lastly If I went with the 30 gallon, what other types of fish have a decent look that stay small and would be good for a 30 gal? Any suggestions? On the river yesterday fishing I went exploring in the shallows and identified some baby bass, and what I believe to be channel darters to be very abundant. I also saw a tremendous amount of smaller fish with a black stripe down the side which from research I believe could be either Blacknose Dace or maybe a young river chub.

Thanks, this seems like a truly great community, and I have learned much already from the site. I just wanted to get my specific situation out there as one thing with these natives is everyone's situation is different with their geography.

Welcome, and it sounds like you are off to a great start... this is certianly a hobby where you ahve to so a lot of studying... and just having hung out here and read the forum for a week before you post is a great way to begin to soak up the info that is out there.

First thing though, is take a look at your state regulations (here on teh forum is a section that can help) and some of the discussions that folks here have had... I seem to remember that NY has some limitations on what you can collect/keep.

But, I will answer your question in general... Enneacanthus sunfish can easily be housed in a 30 gallon aquarium... I have a banded in a heavily planted, soild based, non-filtered tank... and they do quite well in setups like this. Had a tadpole madtom as a tank mate that worked out nicely. Have had a few smaller minnows that worked as well (local Pteronoptrpis, or smaller Fundulus, like cingulatus for example or linealatus). I know that might not be much help as far north as you are, but just to give a few examples. These are tankmates that appreciate the slow to no current that, in my opinion, really make the Enneacanthus shine in an aquarium.