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New from the Black Hills, SD

Started by Guest_GoFisch_* , Dec 12 2012 03:27 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_GoFisch_*

Guests

Posted 12 December 2012 - 03:27 PM

Hi everyone,

I have had a deep interest in native fishes for a very long time. I majored in fisheries and aquatics at Murray State University, KY before recently moving to Belle Fourche, SD. The southeast was the ideal region for collecting and keeping native darters and cyprinids. Unfortunately, there seems to be very few small native fishes in western South Dakota. From what little info I have found, it seems that there are a few native species of chubs, long nose dace, the plains top minnow and the plains killifish. I plan on looking for them this spring. I live just minutes from the Redwater River and Belle Fourche River, but these streams seem to be mostly devoid of fish (compared to the southeast at least), other than catfish and carp.... If anyone else collects in the area or could shine some light on where to go to collect natives, I would be very grateful. Either way, I truly enjoy hearing about the collecting trips of others and seeing the fantastic photography of some of my favorite native fish.

Thanks for all who make this forum such an informative and interesting place O:)

#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

Guests

Posted 12 December 2012 - 08:38 PM

Did you know that your state has a pdf version of its "Guide to the Fishes of South Dakota" available for free?
From this website: http://gfp.sd.gov/wi...ommon-fish.aspx
Direct link: http://gfp.sd.gov/fi...ishes-lores.pdf

From browsing it, I discovered that you have pumpkinseed and orange spotted sunfish. That's awesome; I wish I had orangespotted sunfish near where I lived. Lucky

Edited by EricaWieser, 12 December 2012 - 08:39 PM.

#3 Guest_GoFisch_*

Guests

Posted 13 December 2012 - 11:44 AM

Thanks, Erica. I checked out that guide last night. It's a great start and it's good to know that there are at least a few unique fish around here. I would like collect small fish for a community tank, and really miss the darters, which there were a lot of in the southeast but none in the western part of this state, but an orangespotted sunfish would be great if nothing else turns up.

#4 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 13 December 2012 - 03:32 PM

What about that one sucker that they say only gets about 6 inches long? That looks like it would be very cool in a sand bottom aquarium!

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

#5 Guest_GoFisch_*

Guests

Posted 14 December 2012 - 12:02 PM

What about that one sucker that they say only gets about 6 inches long? That looks like it would be very cool in a sand bottom aquarium!

Thanks for pointing that out! I seemed to have over looked the size limits of that sucker. After reading the description of the breeding male, I remember seeing a dead one in a little stream when out trout fishing. Pretty little golden thing with a red stripe along it's middle. I assumed it was a juvenile of some sort, but it seems like I've now got a good place to start looking. O:)

Bet it would be great in an aquarium, but I don't have a lot of experience in keeping suckers. Any suggestions?

#6 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 14 December 2012 - 01:57 PM

Search the forum for "deep sand bed" and you should find quite a bit of information. But the short version is that by using a deeper substrate and a sandier substrate and heavy feeding that several people have had success keeping and even growing a few species of suckers (my personal success has been with striped jumprocks here in Georgia).

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