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Size/Breeding question

Started by Guest_WoodRiverTroutBum_* , Aug 04 2011 12:54 AM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_WoodRiverTroutBum_*

Guests

Posted 04 August 2011 - 12:54 AM

As I stated in my introduction, I have been keeping aquarium fish for quite some time. I have been breeding various cichlids and other fish for almost as long. My question is, how big do you consider too big to keep from the wild? My other question is, when you start a breeding program do you usually raise up fry that you have collected or do you catch mature fish to breed then select their young to continue the for the brightest colorations? I don't plan on jumping straight in to breeding natives but I was curious about these couple things. I have always been one to say that I would never keep anything over a couple inches depending on the species but now am thinking maybe it isn't so bad if they go in to a backyard pond or even large rubbermaid holding tanks. Putting a larger fish in to a glass tank to me is a no no, simply because they will ram the glass thinking they can get away when they see you. All feedback, ideas and input is welcome and appreciated. Thank you.

Alex

#2 Guest_gerald_*

Guests

Posted 04 August 2011 - 11:02 AM

"Too big" depends on the space/time/money you can provide long-term. For breeding I find it more satisfying to raise up juvies, but I've also collected ready-to-spawn adults (minnows, darters, small sunfish). Seeing young fish mature and come into breeding condition in captivity makes me feel like a more accomplished aquarist.

#3 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 04 August 2011 - 11:56 AM

I think that sub adults often make a better transition to aquarium life... they convert more quickly to the foods you offer ... and they learn to recognize you as the food guy, not as a scary guy... so then even after they grow large, they do not run away and bump their nose on the glass. The downside is it takes some serious feeding to bring them up to full adult breeding size, if that is your goal, or if it is your short term goal.

By the way, the fear of humans thing is one of the problems that I have had with raiseing fish in stock tanks in teh backyard... it seems to work OK in general... obviously some fish better than others... but when I bring the fish in from outside, they are used to the dart walls of the stock tank and are not interested in seeing someone stare back at them. Some calm down after a while inside... some never do.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#4 Guest_frogwhacker_*

Guests

Posted 04 August 2011 - 07:26 PM

I have always been one to say that I would never keep anything over a couple inches depending on the species but now am thinking maybe it isn't so bad if they go in to a backyard pond or even large rubbermaid holding tanks. Putting a larger fish in to a glass tank to me is a no no, simply because they will ram the glass thinking they can get away when they see you. All feedback, ideas and input is welcome and appreciated. Thank you.

Alex

The 125 and 220 gallon tanks you speak of in your introduction should be large enough for some decent size fish. Maybe not a lot of them, but they would work well. I currently have my smallmouth bass in a 150 gallon aquarium. He's about 10 inches long and definitely appears to have room yet to grow some more. As Michael stated, the younger fish you start out with, the less they fear you. My bass was about 5 or 6 inches long when I kept him. It took him about 3 days to realize where the boundaries were. Now he watches me as much or more than I watch him and he takes food from my fingers. "No Fear" I've even had him charge at the vacuum while I'm cleaning the tank.(not sure if he's trying to be intimidating or if he's thinking it will stir up some food, although it appears to be an aggressive move). Different fishes will also adjust differently to captivity. for example; my smallmouth bass tends to be much be more "social" toward me than my rock bass. Both were kept from a young age, but the rock bass naturally tends to hide and ambush while the smallmouth tends to just go get it when it comes to food. Hope this helps some. Let us know what you end up keeping.

Steve.

Edited by frogwhacker, 04 August 2011 - 08:07 PM.

#5 Guest_WoodRiverTroutBum_*

Guests

Posted 05 August 2011 - 11:46 AM

Thank you guys for your input! I see all of you are on the same page with this subject and that is nice to see. Keeping fish of larger sizes from the wild is a common practice with various piranha species and most of them seem to acclimate well to aquariums, I dion't see any reason for our natives to have any issue acclimating as you guys have said. I especially agree with what was said about raising a breeding pair from the fry you have collected, it gives a huge sense of pride and accomplishment! I have a decent sized pond and some small brooks pretty much in my back yard so I have been collecting some fish just to examine and then release although I do have two 20 gallon long tanks that have been cycled for a while now. I may keep a couple darters on my next time out which will either be this evening or tomorrow morning. Funny thing, I was at cold creek yesterday checking out the darters, chubs and minnows and in my net, a largemouth bass fingerling! I had seen a couple a few days prior while fly fishing but thought for sure they must have been minnows, definitely bass after seeing it up close. I have never heard of bass being in a small stream like this, sur as heck have never seen one until now, is this faily common to see?

Alex

#6 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 05 August 2011 - 12:07 PM

...a largemouth bass fingerling! I had seen a couple a few days prior while fly fishing but thought for sure they must have been minnows, definitely bass after seeing it up close. I have never heard of bass being in a small stream like this, sur as heck have never seen one until now, is this faily common to see?

Not sure what you mean by 'small stream' (everyone has a different definition of 'small' and 'stream')... but sure, I see them all the time in places that are only calf deep and 10 feet wide. Now granted, that is down here in the south, where large mouth are everywhere... but remember that there are not a lot of natural lakes in the south... actually large mouth a a river fish... sure larger slower parts are where the big guys hang out, in a hole or an undercut... but the little guys have to go somewhere to avoid getting eaten while they grow up... shallows and edges...

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#7 Guest_WoodRiverTroutBum_*

Guests

Posted 05 August 2011 - 01:08 PM

The area these were in is about 12' wide and ankle deep athe the moment do to low waters with a few small pools nearby. I just found it odd seeing these fingerlings here, so far from the nearest pond. Especially since it has been a while since the rivers have been up do to lack of rains. I know a lot of people that fish here and have never heard of anyone catching one in these waters. I am guessing with our last rains maybe they got washed down the falls at the pond and since there arent a whole lot, they might get picked off before they grow. Very interesting to me, with all of the time I spend on/in the water I thought I have seen it all. Looking forward to more surprises in the future.