down by the rivah

I guess I can't call it the rivah [simulated Boston accent] anymore now that I've got some mid westerners mixed in. Don't know what the correct terminology would be, Crick?
Anyway, through the generosity of a member, I recently obtained some fish I had been wanting for years. Once I added them to my stream tank, I was so pleased with the results I just had to share. I appolgize in advance for the photo quality. I'm using a digital P&S and still haven't figured out how to over ride auto focus. Also, some of the smaller fish were enlarged digitally which hurt my res as well as accentuated the scratches in my very old tank.
Tank is 55 gallons and current is provided by two powerheads.

Most of the inhabitants are locally collected by me. Common shiners are one of the more colorful stream fish we have up here and great captives. They do eat alot though. Still, I love 'em.

Blacknosed dace are another old favorite. I've been keeping them in tanks on and off for over 30 years, I never get tired of them.

A species you might not associate with strong flows or freshwater is the four spined stickleback. I have two in my stream tank that I collected in September from a strong flowing spring fed brook that empties into Vinyard Sound on Cape Cod. Apparently it's not uncommon for the females and young to remain in freshwater after the breeding season has ended.

For color, I have a small brook trout parr.

Also I have a few tesselated darters that came from the same brook as the sticklebacks. This one is huge and pretty much rules the roast.

Those are the locals. Hope they're not too boring for you.

I guess I can't call it the rivah [simulated Boston accent] anymore now that I've got some mid westerners mixed in. Don't know what the correct terminology would be, Crick?

That would be the case in Pittsburgh, yes, but I don't think anywhere else.

Also I have a few tesselated darters that came from the same brook as the sticklebacks. This one is huge and pretty much rules the roast.

Now I'd like to rule the roast. I'd like a little mild horseradish sauce with it, too, please

Now I'd like to rule the roast. I'd like a little mild horseradish sauce with it, too, please

Oh man! I just noticed that while rereading my post and was thinking "I better edit that before someone points it out". Too late!
Just remember, a person's spelling ability is not a good reflection of his intellect.

Oh man! I just noticed that while rereading my post and was thinking "I better edit that before someone points it out". Too late!
Just remember, a person's spelling ability is not a good reflection of his intellect.

We engineers are not noted for spelling and grammar! So I am definitely not criticizing. But it is fun to point that out in a friendly sort of way.

I dig it! Nicely aquascaped with a variety of substrates, some plants, lots of activity...My only suggestion aquascaping wise would be to get some more "height" to your structures, perhaps add a piece of drift wood vertically at an angle...

Some nice shots of the individual fish too.

My only suggestion aquascaping wise would be to get some more "height" to your structures, perhaps add a piece of drift wood vertically at an angle...

I agree. I've been trying to locate a nice piece of driftwood that would fill that height requirement without taking too much space. The one thing I don't like about this tank is it is narrow. Anything I put in the back for height would invade the center and break up the current flow.

what happens when the trout starts eating the other fish?

what happens when the trout starts eating the other fish?

He gets longer and fatter, like most other fish that are well-fed.

He gets longer and fatter, like most other fish that are well-fed.

Well, since this got bumped up, I suppose I should add an update on the little brookie.
First, as I never mentioned this before, the trout was collected legally, that is to say by hook and line [#16 hare's ear nymph]. There is no length limit on trout in Ma.
Anyway, as to eating his tank mates, he was very small, and at the time I added him to the tank everything was actually bigger than him.
One thing I did not bargin for however was that he developed a pathalogical hate for all darters. I attribute this to the fact that for eons his ancestors shared their habitat with only one other fish species, a sculpin. I'm guessing the trout and sculpin were enemies with sculpin eating trout eggs and fingerlings.
Either way, although he could not eat the darters, he had made it his life work to hound them out of his territory. When I only had a few darters, they stayed out of his way pretty well. After adding several new darters however, the violence escalated to the point where some darters weren't getting enough to eat.
Sadly, mr trout had outlived his welcome. Sufice it to say, he is no longer a living element to the stream tank. However the still living inhabitants are still getting their revenge for his troublesome manners in the form of delicious trout meat tidbits occasionally added to the blood worms, brine shrimp and krill. I swear I can see their colors improving already.

You hit the nail on the head.

Over the years I've been asked or heard asked more than a few times what to do with otherwise healthy fish that have outlived their welcome.

One option is to eat them yourself (pacu is actually very tasty but there are a lot of floating bones to work around)

Another option involves a blender and ice cube trays. Your surviving fish will thank you.