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Stonerollers and smaller fish


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#1 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 03:50 PM

Would a stoneroller be appropriate in a 75 gallon stream tank with fis as small as Iowa Darters?

#2 Guest_CATfishTONY_*

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 04:06 PM

Would a stoneroller be appropriate in a 75 gallon stream tank with fis as small as Iowa Darters?


i have had a hard time keeping stoneroller alive longer then a few months.

#3 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 04:10 PM

Would a stoneroller be appropriate in a 75 gallon stream tank with fis as small as Iowa Darters?

By size and temperment, yes, stonerollers would be ood for a 75 and are not agressive with other fish.

Stonerollers are vegetarians and scrape aglae off of rocks... However, CatfishTony's comments are representative of many others... it seems that Stoneys do not alway aclimate well to tanks... or maybe it is that they have to eat alot and all the time... but they do not seem to thrive in aquariums.

An alternative... about the same size and temperment... would be a Nocomis chub... and, at least in the case of the bluehead, which I do keep in my 75, they do not harass or eat smaller fish.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#4 Guest_andyavram_*

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 07:27 PM

I think Stonerollers to fine,in fact one I donated to the tank at work which is now a huge adult male in the prime of his life and probably been in captivity for 3 years or so at this point. But there are two things to put into consideration. As stated they eat algae and scrape at it constantly. Therefore you will want an established tank with a profuse growth of algae on driftwood, rocks (and glass!). Also, I have never added Stonerollers to a tank without a decent school of minnows. So I think they are calmer with friends.

You're set-up might now work unless you also put in some other minnow-type fish to make the Stonerollers more comfortable.

Andy

#5 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 07:55 PM

Okay, so I think I'll let the tank get established for about 3-6 months before adding them. I have a good school of shiners and dace, so I think it would be comfortable in that way.

#6 Guest_AussiePeter_*

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Posted 09 October 2011 - 09:07 PM

You have to keep the right type of stoneroller, some seem to just waste away and die, others do very well. I've kept the red finned campo (C. spadiceum) for several years, but the local Oklahoma C. plumbeum (which most people still call anomalum) never did very well. So it really depends on which species you have (but keep in mind that campo taxonomy is pretty messed up at the moment--many populations are named incorrectly).

Maybe the ones that waste away would do better in a long term setup with lots of algae and such, but I doubt it as they would pretty quickly out eat themselves.

Cheers
Peter

#7 Guest_frogwhacker_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 12:21 AM

Is there a chance that they would take to algae pellets for food when the tank doesn't have enough algae to keep them fed or will they only feed on it if it's fixed to something?

Steve.

#8 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 07:24 AM

I wonder if feeding vegetables would work with stone rollers, like it does with my Pleco's? I feed mine zucchini, green beans & nori. Anyone try it before? For the zucchini, I use fishing line to attach it to a magnetic algae scrapper to keep it down near the bottom.

Posted Image

#9 Guest_andyavram_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 08:37 AM

I found that if something edible is dropped into the tank it would be eaten. From flakes, pellets, worms, bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc... they really weren't picky. The algae in the tank they just ate between feedings. I am sure they would eat algae wafers, but I am not sure they need the algae so much as they need to just graze and nibble constantly. That is where the established tank would come into play.

#10 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 10:45 AM

It's also helpful to start with young fish. The big spectacular males have often already exhausted themselves to the point of no return; a trip to a mid-size creek in early summer often reveals a number of big dead male stonies and Luxilus. They live hard and die young.

#11 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 10:48 AM

Do stonerollers have stomachs? Goldfish are continual grazers and have this sort of elongated, stomach-like-thing but not really a defined stomach.
Gross picture: http://thegab.org/Ar...alAnatomy08.jpg Source: http://thegab.org/Go...al-anatomy.html

Edited by EricaWieser, 10 October 2011 - 10:49 AM.


#12 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 10:58 AM

An established tank with algae probably IS best for acclimating a new wild-caught stoneroller, but don't count on the tank to provide food very long. A stoneroller will quickly devour the good stuff, and if any algae persist they will be whatever kinds he likes the least. You will need to feed him algae grown elsewhere, and/or algae-based foods and cooked vegetables. Treat stonies like a sucker -- they cant eat much at one time, so they need to graze all day long. Nearly all fish will eat cooked frozen peas, including many carnivores (except of course Elassoma). Zucchini and other squash, greenbeans, sweet potato are worth trying. I have NOT had success feeding seaweed flakes (sold for marine fish) to herbivorous freshwater fish.

#13 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 03:27 PM

Thanks for all of the feedback. I'll be setting up the 75 in a few weeks and will plan on buying a Central Stoneroller around March. The idea of feeding them cooked vegetables sounds like a great idea. Finally something to do with the extras from the garden!

#14 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 11 October 2011 - 07:28 PM

Thanks for all of the feedback. I'll be setting up the 75 in a few weeks and will plan on buying a Central Stoneroller around March. The idea of feeding them cooked vegetables sounds like a great idea. Finally something to do with the extras from the garden!



I have been dying just trying to catch stonies, they always make it away from my nets... I wish you luck with this project and look forward to the outcomes. Hopefully you can find something that works and can help other (like myself) who hope to someday keep some!

#15 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 11 October 2011 - 09:03 PM

I have been dying just trying to catch stonies, they always make it away from my nets... I wish you luck with this project and look forward to the outcomes. Hopefully you can find something that works and can help other (like myself) who hope to someday keep some!

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll be sure to post any success that I achieve. Also, would a be post worthy if I'm fairly confident I had two Rainbow darters spawn and have a fry survive? I've heard that's pretty rare.

#16 Guest_frogwhacker_*

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Posted 11 October 2011 - 10:24 PM

would a be post worthy if I'm fairly confident I had two Rainbow darters spawn and have a fry survive? I've heard that's pretty rare.


I'd enjoy reading about it.

Steve.

#17 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 12 October 2011 - 03:42 PM

Okay, will do.



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