33 replies to this topic

[Sean Phillips]

Setting up my 2nd native tank already! It's a 20 tall (24" x 12" x 16") that used to house cichlid fry so it's already cycled and ready for fish. No fish as of now in it but there's 4 trapdoor snails in it to prevent it from uncycling, hoping to add the first fish later today. The substrate is gravel I collected from my local creek ranging in size from near microscopic to half the size of my palm! Sad to say it was and is going to be a HUGE annoyance to siphon since the large pieces get stuck in the hose but it's worth it to have such a natural looking substrate. If course after I filled a 5 gallon bucket up with that substrate at my creek I found an area with a ton of gravel of quality that's the same perfect size but I wasn't getting more at that point . For decor I have a bunch of large rocks from the creek that I piled up to make caves and crevices for the darters to explore and hide in. Filtration is a sponge filter rated for a 50 gallon. The final stock is to be determined but they'll all be fish native to my local creeks. Fish that are definitely going in though are my pair of Greenside darters that are currently in my 30 long. I'm also hoping to get another pair or darters that are in my local area so if anybody had a suggestion for species of darters in the Pittsburgh area that will go well in a riffle tank let my know. And lastly I'm hoping to get 5-6 shiners or dace for some midwater movement, probably longnose dace or SRBDs. There is one thing about this tank though that's going to make it different from my other tanks. I know this was a huge risk but since the water from my local creek has been tested multiple times this year and it's always been pristine quality I decided to leave some "stuff" in the substrate and on the rocks. By that I mean I left the hair algae that's on the big rocks alone that way I can hopefully grow it on the tank and provide some greenery for my Greenside darters. I also left I few mussels (and probably a few other inverts I didn't see) in the substrate since I know that mussels help keep water quality up slightly. This way I practically have an entire creek ecosystem living in this tank from the get go! Looking forward to setting up this tank and I'll be posting updates and pictures as it progresses! Pictures coming once I get the darters in later.

[Sean Phillips]

Really!? So my 20 gallon could be stocked with two pairs (4 total) darters, 6 dace, and a few shiners? I didn't think that would all fit in such a small tank without having to do a rediculous amount of water changes. Also, I'm debating whether to collect the fish myself or order from somewhere such as Jonah's or Zimmerman's, what's your guys opinion?

[Sean Phillips]

Here's a picture. Glare is the worst in this room than it is in any other room in the house, great place for a tank right . Both the fish are in now. The female is happily jumping around from rock to rock and murdered/ate a trapdoor snail 5 minutes after being put in. Haven't seen the male since right after I out them in but the last place I saw him was by an entrance to the rock caves so I'm sure he's in there somewhere.

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[Sean Phillips]

Can someone answer this question for me please. Just looked up on the pfbc site that SRBDs are a state threatened species. I know I can't posses endangered species but can I posses threatened ones if they're purchased out of state and can I even purchase any natives out of state? The fish commission really needs to organize their site better so it isn't like finding your way through a labyrinth to find info

[Sean Phillips]

Not without a permit, and permits are not issued for keeping of threatened/endangered species as pets at home.

Dang, oh well guess I won't be keeping Redbelly Dace anytime soon. Although it sounds like I can buy nonlisted ones though so if anybody has suggestions for species of minnows let me know.

[Sean Phillips]

There are some dace that would be legal though. Mountain and northern redbelly would be legal I assume.

Northern Redbellies are somehow endangered in PA, we've got weird rules on what classifies a fish as endangered.

[Sean Phillips]

I think so. Because darters occupy a different area in the water column, you can house a few additional fish. You're only talking 10-14 fish. I love dace, but adding one or two Cyprinella would be well worth it. You're not going to have to do more water changes than usual.

I'm all for collecting myself. But if you're going to buy fish, you can't go wrong with Zimmerman's.

Sent from the Paranoid Manta

Awesome! I love collecting as well but I was only successful when I went with my local fish clubs native expert to a small creek and used his gear. I tried collecting three times at my local creek with a minnow trap and have caught a total of 0 fish.

[Sean Phillips]

What does that leave? Not much. Many of those listed appear to be end of range scenarios.

Most of them are which is why it's terrible guidelines. I don't want their ranges to disappear out of the state but if we are responsible then the ranges of any fish shouldn't be shrinking regardless, but that's not the world we live in.

[Sean Phillips]

If you make a little current the darters will love it.

I'm planning on getting a power head of some type but I'm worried about putting one in such a small tank that it will heat it up to much. If anyone has a suggestion for a good kind that won't produce heat let me know please.

[Sean Phillips]

Stock is now up to: 2 Greenside Darters(1M 1F), 2 Rainbow Darters(2M), 1 Pugnose Minnow, and 1 Bluefin Killifish. The last two will be going in my 30 tall soon. I got 9 emerald shiners as a schooling fish for the tank but I've had 4/9 die in less than 24 hours in quarantine (probably because they're from a bait store in erie). So unfortunately at this rate I may have to go and catch something for myself in my local creek. Just hope the yellow perch in qt with them don't get some disease.

On a side note, are there any suckers or something similar such as sucker-like minnows that could live as an adult in this tank (24" x 12" x 16")? There's a riffle tank at the ppg aquarium with a small (4-5") sucker of some kind in it and it's just a few inches wider and a few inches taller than my setup. They may just be growing it out for a larger display tank though.