95 replies to this topic

[az9]

A couple of 360 bluegill mounts. One is skin mount of a fish I sold to a taxidermist in Michigan (Brian Watson) and the other was molded from a fish I sold him. If I remember right the fish were in the 1 lb. and half range. 

 

[az9]

If you make any of those hatching jars, I'd love a write-up!

 

Be happy too! You might have to remind me though. 

[centrarchid]

You need to do similar with Coppernose and Handpaints.  You might be able to find a new market interested in bluegill diversity.  You should see the range in Coppernose looks as a function of source.  The Coppernose can give any west coast trout a run for it's money when it comes to variation as function of population source.  It is disgusting to me how that has been overlooked for so blanking long!  It would be cool to depict the male morphs and females of Northern Bluegill as well.

[Evan P]

Personally, I think having a log with all of the lepomis species on it would be a really cool display. Otherwise, taxidermized Longears would be pretty incredible.

[littlen]

 image.png   1.42MB   2 downloads

[centrarchid]

That is a primary / nest building male.  Large opercular tabs give him away.  The secondary males look markedly different and in some instances have more color for wooing babes.

[littlen]

There are a few additional pics of mounted CNBG's I found after doing a Google search. I'm pretty impressed with how they turn out on some of thes smaller gamefish.

[centrarchid]

I will bet all mounts are of nest building males.

[Evan P]

Wow, that coppernose is gorgeous. I am usually very quick to speak negatively of Bluegill, but these guys are incredible.

[az9]

Taxidermy quality has come a long way in the last 20 years. There's still many that do hideous portrayals of God's creatures, but state, national, and world competitions have really brought up the quality of taxidermists that are willing to improve their craft.

[az9]

image.png

Whoever did the work did a very nice job on reproducing the colors of that fish.

I'm pretty sure it's a fiberglass reproduction.

Who did the mount?

[az9]

Personally, I think having a log with all of the lepomis species on it would be a really cool display. Otherwise, taxidermized Longears would be pretty incredible.

This would be the man to do it:

http://www.knuthart....idermyfish.html

[az9]

If anyone is interested in seeing the process of putting together a multispecies diorama I did for Sourh Dakota State here is link:
http://forums.pondbo...t&Number=121957

And no I'm not promoting my work. I'm so swamped I'm considering turning people away.

[az9]

I think I got lucky! I was thinking of purchasing a chiller to reduce water temps and subsequently reduce the amount of well water flow needed to hatch the eggs, and rear the fish until next spring. Turns out my geothermal unit that heats and cools my house is essentially a chiller in itself in the winter. It reduces the well water it uses about 10 degree F. before discharging it to one of my ponds (open loop). Well water temp is about 52 degrees so water temp of the water that is discharged under pressure is in the low 40's.  This can be used to augment the tank water to keep it in the temperature range I want and keep warming down in ambient temps of the basement that is in the low to mid 60's. The folks you installed my geothermal unit will be in the area and will install a 't' and valve so I can bleed off whatever amount I want. 

 

I was concerned the condenser may be copper but was told it's a copper alloy called cupronickel, and is made not to leach into the water to allow it to last at least 20 years. I'm hoping this is true. 

[az9]

Getting close to hatching the trout eggs. Pictures coming very soon! Taking longer than i expected to get the eggs, but they should be here in about 3 weeks. I purchased a very large iron filter and had it installed by my local plumber. I also purchased a 1/2 hp. chiller. My offline biofilter is still getting cycled, as I opted to sterilize the plastic media and biofilter tank etc. and start over rather than take the chance of adding parasites or pathogens from my other fish species. Wished I had done it sooner but the four high schools I set up were holding up the show. I finally gave up waiting on them and moved the bluegill and yellow perch outside to my holding pond and floating cages. 

 

I built an egg hatching jar from a plastic pitcher I bought from the local Walmart (only buy there when I have to), and I'm in the process of putting together hatching baskets to keep the fry in until they are large enough to release in the tank. The problem is the spacing in my bottom drain screen is a little large for early fry and the tank is too deep initially for swim up. Since a membrane diffuser is attached to the top of the drain screening in the drain is problematic to add or remove. Screen small enough initially will probably clog in short order too. 

 

 

Initial capital expenses have been more than I would like, and it would have been cheaper just buying juvenile trout like I usually do, but I don't have to drive a 5 hour round trip to pick up the trout (I hate hauling fish), and I have complete control this way. Additionally the expenses should pay for themselves eventually. I also will learn a lot, and have done so just getting the cold water RAS ready for use. Lots of problem solving which I absolutely love! May have to do flow through until the biofilter is fully cycled and have some ammonia and nitrite neutralizer on hand in case I need it. May be doing a lot of water changes initially. 

[centrarchid]

How many are you running?  Farms I work with stock them pretty high density.  You could do a couple thousand in shallow plastic storage containers for at least a couple weeks post swimup.

[az9]

How many are you running?  Farms I work with stock them pretty high density.  You could do a couple thousand in shallow plastic storage containers for at least a couple weeks post swimup.

I'm keeping about 300 eggs (100 each species) out of the 1000 each minimum I have to order. I have an individual that says he will buy the excess. I hope he's dependable. 

 

I think I will hatch the 300 in the following DIY hatching jar and/or three hatching baskets. May start out with the jar and allow them to swim out into the baskets. 

 

 

[az9]

The jar is based on the following video. I will flexible hose instead of the pvc and my jar will hang in the tank vs. sitting on the bottom of an aquarium. 

 

[az9]

Ending up using a hatching basket made out of a small laundry basket with siliconed in nylon screen replacing the bottom and sides. This was due to issue with the cold water RAS leaking where I had mounted a side flow container. Had to move them temporily to a 55 gallon drum and the three egg jars would not fit. I connected the 55 gallon biofilter drum and another drum with the chiller to the drum the basket of eggs is suspended in. Will move them back to the RAS tomorrow. No ammonia or nitrite readings.

 

I like the basket better as it's easier to remove dead eggs and egg shells. 

[az9]

Some of the Brook, Brown, and Tiger Trout Alevins from a couple of weeks ago hatched from eggs. 

 

 

All are now fry with about 40 precent swim ups. The photo below was taken when they were just coming up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coldwater recirculating system has me pulling my hair out. Biofilter even though fully cycled had nitrites creeping up a few weeks ago, but are now zero. Now I'm reading 0.25 to 0.5 ammonia levels but am keeping the un-ionized ammonia at bay with water changes and an ammonia remover compound until the biofilter gets it's act together. 

 

Chiller is working like a dream. American made too! 

 

My dual drain system with water feeding into a DIY Parabolic filter is working great too. From there water drops via gravity to a moving bed bio filter in a blue drum. Solids go to two 200 micron filter bags and the rest of the water is pumped up through a sand and gravel filter from sump before retiring to the fish tank. I am feeding up to 8 X per day but the water is still gin clear.