13 replies to this topic

[mattknepley]

From the Saluda River, just a little downstream from the Lake Greenwood dam. Newberry County, SC side of the river.

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Was seining up Redfin Pickerel and Redbreast Sunfish chow and found this guy mixed in with the Gambusia when I got home. It's approx. 1/2 inch long. Mouth does not appear to reach the eye to me. The only other fish I can think of in the Santee system drainage with that kind of dorsal fin is the Highfin Carpsucker, Carpiodes velifer, and I don't believe they get above the fall line.

My apologies for a half-crappy picture. I'll be back to my fullbore crappy pics soon.

[Michael Wolfe]

keep him in a sand bottom tank with nothing that can eat him and grow him up!  He would be an interesting fish to raise up.

[Leo1234]

Either species sounds cool to keep. I wish I had access to more of the cool species of suckers. I would love to see more pictures sometime.

[Sean Phillips]

I agree with Michael, start him out in a 10g or so with an aged sand substrate and grow it to adulthood! Maybe feed it mosquito larvae when it gets big enough.

[Michael Wolfe]

keep him in a sand bottom tank with nothing that can eat him and grow him up!  He would be an interesting fish to raise up.

 

Alternatively, bring him to me and he can live in the 55 gallon shiner tank!

[mattknepley]

Alternatively, bring him to me and he can live in the 55 gallon shiner tank!

I held him out so he didn't join the pickerel chow crowd. Lucky for him too, cuz that pickerel was crashing them less than two minutes after putting them in. Closer inspection revealed he had a couple brothers, so I held them out, too.

I don't have the resources for this guy now. I'll be happy to give them to you if you're serious, Michael. PM me or email me and we'll rendevous.

[Michael Wolfe]

I am serious... sending PM soon

[Leo1234]

Could I have some? I would love to try keeping one.

[mattknepley]

It's neat the interest these guys have garnered.

Since some folks are interested, and I would be if I had more space, what would make these guys the happiest and healthiest?

[Michael Wolfe]

Fritz's book says, "...they spawn over a sand bottom in calm water." and then later, "The quillback is a food generalist, "grazing" on the bottom, where it feeds on large amounts of ooze, algae, and a few insects."

 

Quillback are definitely found in the Saluda (Fritz actually has a location that appears to be in the lake).  But it could also be a Highfin Carpsucker which is similar and also in the same drainage.

[Leo1234]

How are the quillback doing?

[Michael Wolfe]

unfortunately they just sort of disappeared.  I haven't seen one in the last several weeks. I put them in a well planted 30 gallon breeder tub... saw one repeatedly for the first several weeks... maybe even a month.  Sorry.

[Leo1234]

I hope you find them or at least get the chance to keep them again. Did you ever get them to eat? If so, what did you feed them?

[Michael Wolfe]

They were so small I was never sure if they were eating the earthworm flakes I put in their tank. But they definitely got excited and began to more actively move about and sample the substrate and maybe the flakes?