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40 gallon Buffalo River (MN) Biotope


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#1 Aquatopes

Aquatopes
  • NANFA Guest
  • Bemidji, MN

Posted 23 February 2020 - 01:55 PM

I am thinking of wiggling in a 40 breeder into my dorm next year, yes I will have room to have it as I'm going to get a double room to myself or an RA room to myself. The plan would be to place the 40B peninsula style to maybe act like a mini room divider of some sort, maybe right next to my futon so I can lay on the futon and watch my fish. Plan is to make a more riffle/strong flowing tank so powerheads will be used for sure. Here is the list of speices that can be found in the river I am replicating:

Blackchin Shiner

Blacknose Shiner

Blackside Darter

Bluntnose Minnow

Common Shiner

Creek Chub

Hornyhead Chub

Johnny Darter

Logperch

Mimic Shiner

Rainbow Darter

Spottail Shiner

 

With all of these fish selections I was thinking of for sure going with hornyhead chubs and a log perch (if I can find one). The creek chub looked really nice but they are apparently like vacuums, so they might be out. I could also go for a darter tank, but the darters are very spread out and rarely found as opposed to the shiner/chub/minnow populations. Maybe a stock of 7 hornyheads, 1 logperch and a creek chub could possibly work or maybe more of the smaller minnows.

 

The only for sure thing I know about the tank is that I want a lot of rocks, so I will need egg crate and maybe even a layer of filter floss to increase the weight distribution of the tank. Another thing would be lights, since little aquatic vegetation grows in the river than light is purely for looks. I think 2 NiCrew 30"-36" LEDs will be my light of choice to get a nice shimmer effect. Lastly I think replicating the seasons to an extent would be cool, I.E. higher faster water in the spring, lower and warmer water and longer photo period (12 hours) in the summer, darker water with some leaves/sticks in the fall and cooler water and lower photo period (6-8 hours) in the winter


"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man"

       -Heraclitus


#2 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 23 February 2020 - 08:34 PM

I'd go with 2-3 logperch, and 2-3 hornyheads... and then maybe a handful of one of those Notropis species.


Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#3 Aquatopes

Aquatopes
  • NANFA Guest
  • Bemidji, MN

Posted 24 February 2020 - 10:40 AM

I'd go with 2-3 logperch, and 2-3 hornyheads... and then maybe a handful of one of those Notropis species.

I had that idea or the idea of 2 species of Notropis (Blacknose/Blackchin and Spottail), blackbanded darters and maybe a rainbow darter pair


"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man"

       -Heraclitus


#4 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 24 February 2020 - 11:45 AM

Spot tails are Cyprinella and a good bit larger and active. Three of those with the loggies and chubs would also work.

If you want to try the smaller (non logperch) darters, I would leave off the hungry mouthed Cyprinella and chubs and stuck with the smaller Notropis. It would look more balanced and open.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#5 Aquatopes

Aquatopes
  • NANFA Guest
  • Bemidji, MN

Posted 25 February 2020 - 12:29 AM

Spot tails are Cyprinella and a good bit larger and active. Three of those with the loggies and chubs would also work.

If you want to try the smaller (non logperch) darters, I would leave off the hungry mouthed Cyprinella and chubs and stuck with the smaller Notropis. It would look more balanced and open.

So.....I might just do a local biotope because I have way more variety:

Bigmouth Shiner

Blackchin Shiner

Blacknose Shiner 

Bluntnose Minnow

Brassy Minnow

Common Shiner

Creek Chub

Emerald Shiner

Fathead Minnow

Finescale Dace

Golden Shiner

Hornyhead Chub

Iowa Darter

Johnny Darter

Least Darter

Logperch

Longnose Dace

Northern Redbelly Dace

Pugnose Shiner

River Shiner

Spotfin Shiner

Spottail Shiner

Tadpole Madtom

Western Blacknose Dace

 

:


"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man"

       -Heraclitus


#6 L Link

L Link
  • NANFA Member
  • Atlantic Slope of VA

Posted 25 February 2020 - 10:55 AM

I don't have experience with a lot of those species, but I would reccomend the redbelly and black-nosed dace; they are delightful in a tank and will school together at times. I have kept margined madtoms, and if they are any indicator, a tadpole madtom would work very well with the dace.


Loughran (Lock) Cabe


#7 keepnatives

keepnatives
  • Regional Rep

Posted 25 February 2020 - 03:02 PM

I believe Mr. Wolfe was referring to Spotfins being Cyprinellas.  I have a 55 g with a variety of shiners, dace and a few darters I have Cyprinellas (Whitefin) but have had others including Spotfins.  They were very entertaining actually had more issues with one pushy Blacknose dace then the spotfins.  The Creek chub will be a problem with smaller shiners.  I'd start with smaller Hornyheads as well.


Mike Lucas
Mohawk-Hudson Watershed
Schenectady NY

#8 Aquatopes

Aquatopes
  • NANFA Guest
  • Bemidji, MN

Posted 27 February 2020 - 02:54 PM

I believe Mr. Wolfe was referring to Spotfins being Cyprinellas.  I have a 55 g with a variety of shiners, dace and a few darters I have Cyprinellas (Whitefin) but have had others including Spotfins.  They were very entertaining actually had more issues with one pushy Blacknose dace then the spotfins.  The Creek chub will be a problem with smaller shiners.  I'd start with smaller Hornyheads as well.

I believe that after talking with Zach Alley about getting some Redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus) from Zimmerman's fish. If I go in that direction then I would probably go with redbelly dace, redside dace and spotfin shieners with the possible addition of rainbow darters


"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man"

       -Heraclitus




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