15 replies to this topic

[sbtgrfan]

Went on a work collecting trip to the upstate of SC, figured I'd post a few pics of what we caught.

 

Seagreen Darter

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Margined Madtom

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Striped Jumprock

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Redbreast Sunfish

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Fieryblack Shiner

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Yellowfin/Greenhead Shiner

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Then a few other views and stuff...

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[sbtgrfan]

Forgot to include these...ran into a spawning run of Notchlip Redhorse in shallow riffles. Was pretty cool. Managed to net a couple...

 

 

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[Michael Wolfe]

nice darter and very cool notchlips

 

and it seems that tree is winning the battle with that rock, splitting him in half

[MtFallsTodd]

Really beautiful spot!!

[mattknepley]

Nice! Your Fieryblack seems to be a little further along in the color department than the ones I've been finding in the Saluda around Ware Shoals. (Haven't been up there in a couple weeks, though.) Did you collect anything for the SC Aquarium? I'm happy that I appear to have figured out a way to get Fieryblacks home alive. Only collect from late fall to mid-spring, and don't use salt. Also, keep 'em in water as much as possible when handling, and frequently change the water in the storage/photo/transport buckets and tanks to keep the water as fresh and as close to the temp of the water they were collected from as possible. The constant influx of fresh water on site and no salt usage seem to be the biggest factors after time of year.

They seem pretty tough if you get 'em home alive. (Most of my Fieryblack experiences have been just short of silverside-esque in the mortality department till now). Mine spent a few weeks in a totally foreign environment for them, my heavily planted 100g stock tank pond. I feared they'd not do well without current, but they thrived in there till durn string algae kicked in for the season and started goofin' up O2 availability. Moved 5 lucky(?) ones inside to the only tank I have running right now, a 10g that had been designated for 4-5 Carolina Darters. Undersized quarters, but hopefully bigger ones are in the offing soon.

[sbtgrfan]

Matt,

 

This was a work trip. These were all collected for the aquarium (minus the redhorse, hawk and tree.) 

As far as transporting fieryblacks or any of those cleaner water fish, water changes are crucial. While we don't salt in the transport coolers, we do salt immediately when they arrive at the aquarium. So it's interesting that you've had issues with them and think salt may be a cause. How much were you using? 

[gerald]

It might just be that after salting a bucket, you're less prone to keep changing water frequently.  I'd be surprised if salt at a reasonably low dose (1 to 2 g/L) has any ill effect on fieryblacks.  Salt does help with mitigating that initial stress-induced ion loss that weakens many fishes during collecting and transport, especially when collecting in soft, low-conductivity water.  Much of the ion-loss occurs within the first few minutes after the initial flood of epinephribe (adrenaline).

[Dustin]

I use salt when I collect them and have better success with than without.  The salt, in my experience, is not as crucial in the piedmont and mountain streams, though, where the pH and hardness are reasonable than it is in the tannin-stained waters of the Pee Dee swamps and coastal steams.

[mattknepley]

It's entirely possible that I was over-salting their water; I wasn't measuring precisely but I am very sure it would be over one or two grams per liter by a good bit. What is the recommended ratio, again? I've probably been a little cavalier in my salting attitude, but can say I've not used the same amount each time.

Stephen, I still wanna come down and see your stuff at the aquarium. Those redhorse are pretty sharp looking fish, too...

[gerald]

1 teasp per gal, (1 Tbsp per 3 gal) is roughly 1.5 ppt (g/L).

BTW was this site in the Savannah or Santee drainage? 

That seagreen darter (#1) is lookin' a bit turquoise-ish,

[mattknepley]

Thanks, Gerald. Will have to be a little more deliberate in salt use to see if/how it affects fish. I have used it with several other fishes with success. For some reason Fieryblacks have given me trouble til recently.

[gerald]

Do you hold them in your hand for 5 min, mesmerized and drooling, before dropping them in the bucket?

[sbtgrfan]

1 teasp per gal, (1 Tbsp per 3 gal) is roughly 1.5 ppt (g/L).

BTW was this site in the Savannah or Santee drainage? 

That seagreen darter (#1) is lookin' a bit turquoise-ish,

 

Santee...From a stream that drains into the South Saluda. Definitely a seagreen, though I agree, very turquoise-ish. 

[mattknepley]

Those Seagreens that develop stripes do make you double-check the gazetteer to verify which drainage you're in.

[sbtgrfan]

I've always found seagreens to have the stripes and turquoise more to have blotches that can also develop into stripes at times. Is that just me?

[Michael Wolfe]

I don't really agree. My favorite turquoise picture is all stripes and no saddles left. I feel like you really have to go more by fins if anything. But usually you can't tell without a map!