pacific northwest biotope aquarium

I've kept fish all my life and the last few years I've developed an interest in creating biotopes. I really like strict biotopes and I tend to set up fairly formulaic tanks- main species, dither fish/something to keep my visual interest while the frequently reclusive, hidden, and rarely viewed main species hides , invertebrates and/or bottom feeders if they don't interfere with the main species, biotopically correct plants for the region... and so on. It's gotten to be an obsession sort of thing trying to match water parameters, plants, fish, inverts, substrate, wood, rocks to be appropriate..

which brings me to, my boyfriend brought up that it would be nice to have a biotope of our local area. I thought that would be really great but I've spent a few hours searching so far and I'm having problems finding the information I'm looking for. It's alot easier with tropicals because there are databases of info and collecting info for the hobby. I'm having a much harder time finding info about fish from the pacific northwest, particularly western washing, that would be appropriate for an aquarium. I really don't want to get something that would be totally innapropriate for captivity:/

any tips on where to find info like this, plants, inverts, fish would be really helpful.. I also need to know the type of habitat they are from, I don't want to set a swamp species up in a riffle tank, ya know? I'm starting to think it would be easiest to get a field book and do my own collection, but I have no idea about the legalities of collection...

so looking for alot of help I guess, but I really have tried to look into this on my own online and seem to be at a loss as to where to even start.. Thank you for your time anyone who can help me out.

Welcome to the club! It's a highly secretive organization and you really can't call yourself a member until you have learned the secret handshake. You're spent hours, I've spent months, and I recently met a biologist who has spent years and still doesn't know. From my vantage point, the State of Oregon "protects" native fish by not letting anyone know what native is. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. Our laws are very helpful, because we are allowed to collect fish with a fishing license, and we are allowed to have them in a home aquarium, we are not allow to transport them live. Well, you can get a special permit to do so, but I think you have to prove you're related to Bigfoot. There have been rumors of these permits, but no actual documentation.

That is not to say, I haven't found out a few things. I think there is more information and more clubs leaning toward saltwater collection than fresh. And, rumor has it, Washington is more collection friendly than Oregon. I've been told if I want Oregon natives to go fishing in Washington. Most books and articles will be about fish on the east coast of the United States. A few on Arizona, (not sure how why that is,) and even less on the Pacific Northwest unless you want to know about game fish, which isn't what you are after.

In regards to plants, for the most part, these, too, you will have to collect yourself because the pond industry is interested in making enough money to stay afloat. The native "fad" was over over a decade ago. But, again, I hear Washington is better than Oregon. There are a number of native riparian plants, that would work well if you are considering an outside pond, but not a lot of aquatics.

It would be helpful if you added where in Washington you are.

I found the info for Wa. state that was linked to off this forum but it was so game fish oriented I had problems wading through it all and finding anything that was helpful for fish I might actually keep. Yes, the info for collecting saltwater organisms was much clearer and I'm tempted to try and throw money at the problem by buying a chiller and just doing a saltwater tank because at least that way I'm pretty sure I could wade through the legalities of collection. Hadn't wanted to do that though.

I'm such a research wimp. guess it's time to just try and plow through more stuff, make burnt offerings to the database gods and try sending government officials m&ms in the hopes that they'll be placated and more helpful:/

I'm in everett, wa. btw. about half an hour north of seattle.. the region I want to try and recreate is -somewhere- in western washington. Don't mind driving and or hiking to get to collection locations if I can find a way to do that without breaking some law I don't undertand.. and don't have a particular biotope in this region in mind yet.

sincerely,
BigFoot

Everett is beautiful!

There is a Seattle based group, but what I've seen of their website, I don't think I'd, personally, would be jumping up and down to join. Ads flashing out at you at all times, it's really hard to read, or feel wanted for anything other than your cash.

Oregon has a BOWs (Becoming an Outdoors Woman) program to help women learn how to hunt and fish and all of that. I've yet to scrap up the cash for the gas let alone for the class, but I'm told it is good. I'm guessing, Washington, who is always trying to prove it's better than us, most likely has a similar program. (Copy Cats! )You'd most likely find it on the same State site you didn't find the fish information you were looking for.

I wouldn't bother with burnt offerings, they are so use to "first born male child" offerings, it's tough to get their attention. I would look up fishing clubs. Any of your co-workers fish, or share your aquarium interests?

Given where you are, I'd really be tempted to do a Puget Sound marine tank. I would if I had the cash. Currently, gasp, my wallet is telling me to go buy some plastic fish and call it good. Of course, there is a reward for proof of your existence.... you could just like lend me a photo or something. ..

Enjoy!

Good Luck!

You're on the right track. You're just going to have to bite the bullet and wade through those regulations.
It might be possible to get a contact name at F&G. Maybe at least they can send you in the right direction.

If you have experience with marine tanks and especially with marine inverts, a very cool biotope would be a Pacific tide pool. There are absolutely gorgeous anemones, urchins, crabs and all sorts of things.
Again, you'll still have do the research to find out the legal aspect. And be forwarned, many of the inverts will require special care or at least totally pristine water conditions [not to mention the chiller] so it's not a project for a novice.
Another option is to visit the Seattle Aquarium. They may have native biotope set ups to inspire you. Our New England aquarium has its own dive club which makes collecting trips. Tagging along on something like that would give you great experience and you might meet knowledgable people.
Lastly, stick around here. Scroll through old threads, use the search function and just keep your [cyber] ears open and soak up some knowledge. There's plenty of it here.
Good luck.

I don't get it. You want to research local biotopes? You live right there - just go and look. That's what I call research. The tropical hobby is all about books because you can't just up and drive to Lake Malawi. Natives are a different proposition. Now, sampling in Washington is going to be more problematic.

I don't get it. You want to research local biotopes? You live right there - just go and look. That's what I call research. The tropical hobby is all about books because you can't just up and drive to Lake Malawi. Natives are a different proposition. Now, sampling in Washington is going to be more problematic.

because i don't have a clue where i can legally romp around and do this. because i couldn't id the local fish in the wild once i found somewhere it was permissable to romp about and collect. and i'm not going to go romp about collect fish which will turn out to be incompatible in my tanks, not compatible with captivity, or with what i can provide because i'm likely to mix tank water from tropical to endemic tanks and i'm fanatical about introduced and invasive species, including bacterial and viral strains my hyped up, grown up on antibiotics/steroid fish are likely to be carrying.

so. attempting to be a responsible hobbyist i'm trying to find out information -before- i drag things in from the wild that i have no reason or right to drag in.

the only aquatic life i know about locally are invertebrates and game fish. so, now i'm trying to broaden that scope.. and i'd like to have a clue what i'm doin before i behave like yet another irresponsible, thoughtless hobbyist who damages not only the environment but the reputation of the hobby. i think hands on observation goes very well with academic research

You're on the right track. You're just going to have to bite the bullet and wade through those regulations.
It might be possible to get a contact name at F&G. Maybe at least they can send you in the right direction.

If you have experience with marine tanks and especially with marine inverts, a very cool biotope would be a Pacific tide pool. There are absolutely gorgeous anemones, urchins, crabs and all sorts of things.
Again, you'll still have do the research to find out the legal aspect. And be forwarned, many of the inverts will require special care or at least totally pristine water conditions [not to mention the chiller] so it's not a project for a novice.
Another option is to visit the Seattle Aquarium. They may have native biotope set ups to inspire you. Our New England aquarium has its own dive club which makes collecting trips. Tagging along on something like that would give you great experience and you might meet knowledgable people.
Lastly, stick around here. Scroll through old threads, use the search function and just keep your [cyber] ears open and soak up some knowledge. There's plenty of it here.
Good luck.

i figure all fish deserve pristine water and appropriate parameters i lock em in a glass box and owe em something, ya know? it looks like project biotope's going to be on hold.. my household's getting cramped:/ there was an insurance inspection and the people came back and they were taking bets about what the people here did for a living, number one guess was "some sort of biologist?" and some of the people came back later for a second looksee. it's getting kind of out of hand:/ that's ok though, gives me more time for reading and stays at the beach to look at it. i think i'd really like to do a triptych of freshwaer->brackish-> marine and that's oing to take some doing.. but it looks like there's quite a few critters that'd appreciate being able to move through the tanks as they age. ohwell, yet another project. a fun one to get ready for though:D and looks like they'll be a fair bit of it, tough luck when hobbies require vacation, camping, and beach combing<G>

Everett is beautiful!

There is a Seattle based group, but what I've seen of their website, I don't think I'd, personally, would be jumping up and down to join. Ads flashing out at you at all times, it's really hard to read, or feel wanted for anything other than your cash.

Oregon has a BOWs (Becoming an Outdoors Woman) program to help women learn how to hunt and fish and all of that. I've yet to scrap up the cash for the gas let alone for the class, but I'm told it is good. I'm guessing, Washington, who is always trying to prove it's better than us, most likely has a similar program. (Copy Cats! )You'd most likely find it on the same State site you didn't find the fish information you were looking for.

I wouldn't bother with burnt offerings, they are so use to "first born male child" offerings, it's tough to get their attention. I would look up fishing clubs. Any of your co-workers fish, or share your aquarium interests?

Given where you are, I'd really be tempted to do a Puget Sound marine tank. I would if I had the cash. Currently, gasp, my wallet is telling me to go buy some plastic fish and call it good. Of course, there is a reward for proof of your existence.... you could just like lend me a photo or something. ..

Enjoy!

Good Luck!

you are the greatest, i don't think i've heard anyone call everett beautiful before though<G> i do love this area of the US though, all of the PNW.. even that weird Oregon state.. they're just envious of seattle's start... our incredible planning.. toilets that geysered up with the tides.. bring that one up, btw, if ya ever wanna make fun of seattleites. it's ok, we can take the hate.. just because you have a nonplayed out indi music scene, great coastways, and yeah, that's ok. seattle still has the grand seattle spirit.. and no nba team now i hear. ok done going through the portland/seattle oregon/washington checklist in my head.

one of my favourite words is cryptozoologist.

i wonder if i can get some of the people at the seattle aquarium to lend advice when i can get this done... they've got a great program where they sell their saltwater to hobbyists for a ridiculously low 5cents a gallon. not buffered like bought mixes but when you can do water changs that inexpensively<frequently> it's not so much the end of the world in non high maintenance tanks. <3 seattle aquarium

I'm not sure what info you are looking for, but I found a website that tells about freshwater fish of Washington, http://www.streamnet...cies/Index.html, and refers to a book with that same subject. For aquarium care, are you familiar with the book, "American Aquarium Fish"? by Robert J. Goldstein.

Another book I think might be useful is "Dynamic Aquaria, Building Living Ecosystems," by Walter H Adey and Karen Loveland.

You might get the idea I'm into books.

I'm thinking that salmon and sturgeon might be a bit of a problem at home.

only NW nativse I can think of that is aquarium appropriate would be olympic mudminnow...Lahontan redside if it occurs that far up.