I am new to the hobby f native species keeping, but it seems more exciting than tropical fish to me. I live in a dorm at Penn State, and i was wondering if anyone has any tips on what species and how many i could put in a ten gallon tank. Thanks for the help.
10 Gallon Question
Started by
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, Mar 20 2008 06:20 PM
27 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 06:24 PM
Hello and welcome!
There are many types of minnows, darters, topminnows, and other small fishes that could do well in a ten gallon tank; I'm not familiar with Pennsylvania fishes, so I can't give you anything more specific. In my limited experience, 5 or 6 small (2-3") fish pretty well fill a ten gallon.
There are many types of minnows, darters, topminnows, and other small fishes that could do well in a ten gallon tank; I'm not familiar with Pennsylvania fishes, so I can't give you anything more specific. In my limited experience, 5 or 6 small (2-3") fish pretty well fill a ten gallon.
#3
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 07:27 PM
I'm not sure what is in the area either but I'm about 2 hours north of you and I'm planning on starting up a 10g very soon, (getting it setup this weekend or early next week to cycle) and I will be starting to collect fish for it in the next couple weeks. I will be posting the pictures of my tank as long as the species that I'm able to find.
#4
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 07:52 PM
Remember, you shouldn't take fish home and then return them to the wild. The reason I bring this up is that the following scenario seems likely:
You go to your local stream and catch several fish. You bring them home, put them in your tank, and then start trying to ID them (or post pictures here so the NANFA experts can ID them for you). Then it turns out that some of your little fish are baby creek chubs or similar that will quickly outgrow your tank and terrorize your other fish. So then you're stuck; you have to either get a bigger tank for the chubs or find a way to dispose of them without returning them to the wild.
As a better alternative, go to a local stream and photograph the fish you catch on site, then release them back into the stream. ID the fish or have the experts ID them and tell you how to do the same, find out if they're suitable for your tank, then go back to the creek and catch more individuals of the species you want to inhabit your tank.
P.S. You're WAY more than two hours north of me. I can drive two hours due north and I'll still be in Kentucky.
You go to your local stream and catch several fish. You bring them home, put them in your tank, and then start trying to ID them (or post pictures here so the NANFA experts can ID them for you). Then it turns out that some of your little fish are baby creek chubs or similar that will quickly outgrow your tank and terrorize your other fish. So then you're stuck; you have to either get a bigger tank for the chubs or find a way to dispose of them without returning them to the wild.
As a better alternative, go to a local stream and photograph the fish you catch on site, then release them back into the stream. ID the fish or have the experts ID them and tell you how to do the same, find out if they're suitable for your tank, then go back to the creek and catch more individuals of the species you want to inhabit your tank.
P.S. You're WAY more than two hours north of me. I can drive two hours due north and I'll still be in Kentucky.
Edited by Newt, 20 March 2008 - 07:57 PM.
#5
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 07:56 PM
I figured that when i did this, i should try to do it the right way. I bought myself a fish identification guide, and i figured i would try to catch what i could with a dip net. Then i would try to id the fish, and if i couldn't, then i would release it. i was also hoping that there was someone in this area who has collected fish before, and could help me my first time. I made some mistakes with my tropical fish, i didn't ask the right questions, or ask anyone for help. I dont want to make that mistake with native fish, being an avid angler for the last 10 years, the last thing i want to do is harm the water ways. besides, i only have a 10 gallon at school, but when i get home, i am thinking about dusting off my parents old 20 gallon tank, and moving my native fish into that tank. I want to have a well established tank for next year, when i move into my apartment. My room mates and i want to have a good conversation piece for guests.
#6
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 07:59 PM
Sounds good! I know Penn State has an active student chapter of the Wildlife Society; try hooking up with those guys! I bet at least one of them is a fish enthusiast.
#7
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:00 PM
This is a breath of fresh air! Good to see people who are newer to the hobby taking the time to educate themselves!
#8
Guest_pes142_*
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:08 PM
by the way Newt, there is a creek near my house at home that has a huge population of fish that i thought to be creek chubs. they are anywhere from about 3 to maybe 8 or 9 inches long. The generally are silver with a lateral black bar along their sides. But when they get ready to mate, they turn bright red, and get little horn projections on their heads. Not sure if you know what these are, just curious if they would survive in the twenty gallon, because i think they are super cool looking
#9
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:18 PM
I don't think creek chubs turn red. I'm not a fish expert, though, just an enthusiast. In any case, a 20 gallon tank is too small for an active 8-9" fish, let alone a school of them. You would probably need a 55 gallon or similar for them.
#10
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:24 PM
Sorry Newt I'm 2 hours north of pes142 and I'm going to be starting to catch and collect natives myself in the next few weeks while my tank finishes cycling so it will be safe for them. My plan is to actually go out and try to figure out what is available and take pictures to get some ID's before I bring them home for my tank. Sorry if I had fumbled over my words in my previous post here.
I have never kept natives before and I do want to know what I'm getting before I put them in my tank.
I have never kept natives before and I do want to know what I'm getting before I put them in my tank.
#11
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:27 PM
No, that was my fault. I didn't pay attention to who was posting what.
#12
Guest_pes142_*
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:32 PM
If i can catch any of them, i will post a picture before i add them to my aquarium. Originally i was hoping to keep some sunfish, but they seem like they will be too big. I think instead i will try to catch some darters. I have seen pictures of them on the site, and they fascinate me. I am not sure if there are any near me. I could try to catch some where i am in center county, i also live in The suburbs of Philadelphia in the summer, and i am not sure if there are any darters near there either.
#13
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:40 PM
There should definitely be some darters in your area. I'm not sure which ones, but there are bound to be a few different species; they're a very speciose group of fishes, and the Ohio valley is one of their areas of greatest diversity.
You will probably find a very different set of species in Philadelphia; not only are the gradients, chemistry, and other characteristics of the streams different than western PA, but it's an entirely different drainage. You may even find some fish that travel between salt and fresh water, like mummichogs, sticklebacks, etc.
I look forward to seeing what you find!
You will probably find a very different set of species in Philadelphia; not only are the gradients, chemistry, and other characteristics of the streams different than western PA, but it's an entirely different drainage. You may even find some fish that travel between salt and fresh water, like mummichogs, sticklebacks, etc.
I look forward to seeing what you find!
#14
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 08:48 PM
i wont be able to try for the darters near my house until i get home for the summer in the middle of May. If i get any, i will try to post pics up here so i can identify which species would fit best in my tank. I assume that some are better than others, but i am not totally sure. Thanks for all the help you all have given so far, it is far and away more than all the pet store people i have talked to so far.
#15
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 10:07 PM
You guys should get with Ed Bihary. He spends alot of time in Ohio sampling because Pa. has few members. I bet he would jump at the chance of having a seining partner closer to home.
#16
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 10:20 PM
Ed mentioned in one of my threads in the regional section that he has never been collecting up my way and would love to sometime this spring or summer so hopefully that works out. There are quite a few other people that seemed interested as well so who knows what will happen, but I hope that some of us could get together sometime this summer.
With me being new to natives I'm sure I would learn TONS and get plenty of help with techniques to identifying. I look forward to warmer weather every time I think about setting up my large tank or even the 10g that I'm going to be setting up soon too. Maybe I can make it down to State College before the semester is over, but I'm busy with college at the moment as well so I don't know if I will make it there or not.
With me being new to natives I'm sure I would learn TONS and get plenty of help with techniques to identifying. I look forward to warmer weather every time I think about setting up my large tank or even the 10g that I'm going to be setting up soon too. Maybe I can make it down to State College before the semester is over, but I'm busy with college at the moment as well so I don't know if I will make it there or not.
#17
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 10:31 PM
I am in no hurry to actually get the fish into the tank. I currently have a couple platies, a couple tetras and a pictus cat in the ten gallon in my room. I just want to figure out what it takes to catch the fish so i can set up the tank when i get home. plus any tips i can get would be greatly appreciated
#18
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Posted 20 March 2008 - 10:50 PM
I'm just going to get a minnow trap, a small seine (4'x4'), and a dip net and see what I can do with that stuff. I have never tried collecting small native fish before, usually I try to catch large ones, but I'm looking forward to a new challenge and really curious to see what all these natives look like.
Good luck to you pes, I look forward to seeing how your collecting trips go, and hopefully I can give you some good information once I start collecting as well.
Good luck to you pes, I look forward to seeing how your collecting trips go, and hopefully I can give you some good information once I start collecting as well.
#19
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Posted 21 March 2008 - 12:08 AM
Thanks i will do the same. I dont know how much collecting i will be able to do if the only creek i can get to is spring creek, since it is protected trout water. But i will let you know what i get when i try to catch fish at home. I am home this weekend, if i can wrangle it, i might give it a quick try
#20
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 21 March 2008 - 07:56 AM
by the way Newt, there is a creek near my house at home that has a huge population of fish that i thought to be creek chubs. they are anywhere from about 3 to maybe 8 or 9 inches long. The generally are silver with a lateral black bar along their sides. But when they get ready to mate, they turn bright red, and get little horn projections on their heads. Not sure if you know what these are, just curious if they would survive in the twenty gallon, because i think they are super cool looking
Tell us some more about this fish... Creek Chubs (Semotilus atromaculatus) do not really turn red... but my Fishes of Ohio does say that Horneyhead Chubs (Nocomis biguttatus), which should also be in your range, in breeding color "upper part of body suffused with pinks, rose..." so that may be what you are seeing. But that's just me being curious.
To your question... chubs (creek or horneyhead) are too big for yoru 10g... but you do have some nice darters up that way as well as maybe one of my favorite fish from up that way... Rhinichthys atratulus, lacknose dace... perfect for a small aquarium they are tough and good looking little fish.
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