Hey Guys,
I am working on a sculpin tank and was wondering what is the best method for collecting them, and what is the best way tto transport them home. I remember when I was young we had collected some, but they never made it home (unsure why as we only lived like 10 minutes away.) I will use one of my 33 gallon XL's as the base for the tank, heavy flow and filtration (poret matten filter, 55/75 gallon HOB on the same end, and a 3200 gph koralia type powerhead).
Also, what types of tankmates are best for sculpins. I am guessing med sized minnows, but would darters just be food for them?
Collecting and transporting Sculpin
Started by
Guest_NVCichlids_*
, Feb 25 2013 03:09 PM
22 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 25 February 2013 - 04:37 PM
We collect them much like darters... set teh seine in a likely place and perform the darter shuffle... maybe slightly more vigerous.
They need lots of oxygen so I recommend not collecting them in the summer or any day that the container might heat up. As for your past experience, I can imagine a bunch of kids and a glass jar with a tight fitting lid... bad plan all around.
Everthing is food for them... if it fits, it ships.
They need lots of oxygen so I recommend not collecting them in the summer or any day that the container might heat up. As for your past experience, I can imagine a bunch of kids and a glass jar with a tight fitting lid... bad plan all around.
Everthing is food for them... if it fits, it ships.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 25 February 2013 - 07:42 PM
I've had no problem transporting sculpin as long as I bring a battery powered aerator along. As far as tankmates, anything as long as or longer than them should be fine. Most adult darters should be safe as well as most medium sized minnows and shiners. Juveniles, or smaller species shorter than them will become food for sure.
#4
Guest_keepnatives_*
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Posted 25 February 2013 - 08:44 PM
Note the sculpin's wide mouth and large belly the main measurement for food is does it fit in mouth, length that's more about how long it will take to digest it all. http://www.flickr.co...sey/4080959043/
But keep some smaller common darters and aquatic bugs and they'll be more likely to get them first.
But keep some smaller common darters and aquatic bugs and they'll be more likely to get them first.
#5
Guest_NVCichlids_*
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Posted 25 February 2013 - 08:59 PM
Thanks guys. The biggest sculpin I have seen was 2" tl. I am guessing they were yoy now. Here is my current thoughts for the tank.
10x SRBD
4-6 Sculpin
6 fantail darters
Ben, if you know of any good sculpin and srbd places we could possibly meet up at that would be awesome.
10x SRBD
4-6 Sculpin
6 fantail darters
Ben, if you know of any good sculpin and srbd places we could possibly meet up at that would be awesome.
Edited by NVCichlids, 25 February 2013 - 08:59 PM.
#6
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 25 February 2013 - 09:02 PM
Yeah the length is just a rule of thumb. I've noticed that my sculpin don't pay much attention to fish longer than them. Anything smaller doesn't last long though. They're gluttons! This one ate two fathead minnows one after the other. I put two in the aquarium, one for the sculpin and one for the madtom. Oh well...
#7
Guest_NVCichlids_*
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Posted 26 February 2013 - 09:09 AM
How big is the sculpin pictured? Definately the type of fish I have been waiting to keep/attempt to breed!
#8
Guest_BenCantrell_*
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 26 February 2013 - 11:44 AM
3 to 3.5 inches
#9
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 26 February 2013 - 02:06 PM
Tell ya what. I'll ship you some sculpin for the low price of paying dues, and joining NANFA. They will be small.1 inch would be about the best size for shipping. We would need to do it while the weather is still cool.
#10
mattknepley
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- NANFA Member
- Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.
Posted 26 February 2013 - 06:35 PM
Aw, man! Why didn't I need fish when I joined? Although, come to think of it, I do anticipate some tank space opening up around the time my renewal comes up. Hmmm... 
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#11
littlen
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- NANFA Member
- Washington, D.C.
Posted 27 February 2013 - 10:46 AM
NV--in case you missed the link to the pic (http://www.flickr.co...sey/4080959043/ ) posted by 'keepnatives' your SRBD are subject to predation. As will your Fantail darters. Unless you plan on separating your sculpin once they get some size to them, they will inevitably realize one day that they are large enough to attempt eating darters/dace. Are you tankmates lives worth risking? That's up to you to decide. I found out the hardway with a bunch of Redline darters and one, 2" Mottled sculpin.
I would recommend trying some larger dace. I believe Redsides are in your area. Being laterally compressed makes them somewhat less swallow'able IMO. Chubs, stonerollers, and suckers would do just fine with sculpin.
Good luck.
I would recommend trying some larger dace. I believe Redsides are in your area. Being laterally compressed makes them somewhat less swallow'able IMO. Chubs, stonerollers, and suckers would do just fine with sculpin.
Good luck.
Nick L.
#12
Guest_BTDarters_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 01:38 AM
Nate,
Are you going to be chilling the tank? Any sculpin that I've collected in the past stopped eating once the tank temp reached about 70 degrees F.
Brian
Are you going to be chilling the tank? Any sculpin that I've collected in the past stopped eating once the tank temp reached about 70 degrees F.
Brian
#13
Guest_NVCichlids_*
Guest_NVCichlids_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 01:53 PM
The tank will not be chilled, but it is in my storage room in the basement. Last summer, the max temperature in that tank was 65 degrees, so I don't believe there will be an issue.
#14
Guest_daveneely_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 03:05 PM
Watching the outcome of this tank is going to be one of the most-fun things on here in quite a while...
[Irate, you still out there buddy?]
[Irate, you still out there buddy?]
Edited by daveneely, 28 February 2013 - 03:05 PM.
#15
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 05:31 PM
I agree with Dave, and others. Once you have grown your sculpin to adulthood, 4-6 inches, they will eat anything that fits in their mouths. Also many things that don't, often resulting in the death of both fish. I have kept them successfully in basement tanks. The tanks stayed under 70 year round. I even had an unsuccessful spawn. Eggs laid, nothing came out of it. I was careful to keep them size classed, and though there were other fish in the tank, they were always expendable, basically feeders. I was also able to get them on frozen shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces. 90% of the time they would only take the frozen on the drop, but occasionally they would pick it up of the bottom if the current gave it some movement. These tanks had excellent aeration, and a lot of flow. Also, location of collection may be a factor. Sculpin collected from warmer waters, as opposed to the head of a spring, may adapt better to warmer temps.
#16
Guest_daveneely_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 06:14 PM
aww, they're just gonna be little love kisses...
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#17
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 06:23 PM
Dave, you must have too much time on your hands!
#18
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 28 February 2013 - 06:52 PM
I try to always keep juvenile bluntnose or fathead minnows in my tank. They're the buffer fish so the sculpin won't eat my adult SRBD.
#19
Guest_NVCichlids_*
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Posted 05 March 2013 - 09:05 AM
Well you guys now have my scared about keeping sculpin with dace/minnows. The tank isn't huge, so I doubt I could keep any shiners in there (as they would outgrow the tank) or creek chubs..
Tank is still in the process, the membership is in the works (thanks for the offer of shipping me the sculpins, but I prefer to collect myself. I then get to see where these exact fish will come from, what kind of structure they were around, and the overall sence of pride in catching them myself.) I have wanted SRBD for a while to try to breed. I guess I might end up with darters then instead of sculpin
Tank is still in the process, the membership is in the works (thanks for the offer of shipping me the sculpins, but I prefer to collect myself. I then get to see where these exact fish will come from, what kind of structure they were around, and the overall sence of pride in catching them myself.) I have wanted SRBD for a while to try to breed. I guess I might end up with darters then instead of sculpin
#20
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 05 March 2013 - 11:17 AM
So THAT'S why Burmese pythons have not spread beyond FL so far ... GA and AL have sculpins.
Once you have grown your sculpin to adulthood, 4-6 inches, they will eat anything that fits in their mouths.
Also many things that don't, often resulting in the death of both fish.
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