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Virginia trip SE & below Roanoke

Started by Guest_keepnatives_* , Sep 08 2009 08:10 PM

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57 replies to this topic

#41 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 16 September 2009 - 10:52 AM

There is concern that these beautiful little fish could achieve commercial value, in which case some of them would get wiped out completely. Look what commercial fish collecting did to some of the pretty salt water fish in the Keys, all but gone now.

The vendors that post here are very responsible and only sell legally collected species that are fairly common. Not everyone has these good principles, though, and not everyone will be so discriminating with the endangered and special concern species. With places like aquabid, anyone can go into business and empty a stream. These forums are open to public view, and Google does pick up on the contents quickly, text and photos.

I am actually hoping people start captive breeding these fish to sell and getting good enough stocks that by the time their popularity catches on the market is all but established with captive bred ones. That should keep illegal collecting down, especially if captive breeders press for regulation on sales (sort of like how selling wild caught birds is illegal but captive bred is ok).

#42 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 16 September 2009 - 09:17 PM

(sort of like how selling wild caught birds is illegal but captive bred is ok).

Except keeping native birds it totally illegal! There are none that are allowed to be kept at all. There is an interesting comparison there for us to think about?

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

#43 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 16 September 2009 - 09:31 PM

couple more pics

Posted Image

#44 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 16 September 2009 - 09:33 PM

more

what is this?
Posted Image

couldnt get them to "sit still"
Posted Image

#45 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 16 September 2009 - 09:34 PM

more

what is this?
Posted Image

#46 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 10:36 AM

Bumpy -- If you want ID help, please tell us what river basin and approximate location the fish is from. Your first "what is this" looks like a female Kanawha (assuming New R tribs), and the last one looks like Banded darter (assuming Tenn R tribs).

gerald

what is this?
Posted Image

[/quote]

#47 Guest_bumpylemon_*

Guests

Posted 17 September 2009 - 10:40 AM

Those tribs are correct. Although I wasn't 100 percent sure which was caught where. I didn't think we grabbed an female kanawhas. And I didn't thnk I took a banded cuz I already had one. Oh well. What's peoples experience with the roanoke darter? I feel he might not be eating. He is the only one I think might not be. He is also a very big male. I'm gonna try and direct feed him more.

#48 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 11:13 AM

For me Roanoke darters are one of the easiest to feed. Banded darters are tricky to keep with other fish unless you're home all day to feed frequently; tiny mouth and not much stomach volume. Ive also had trouble keeping Kanawhas from getting thin during warm weather. If you can keep em cool (below 75) you should be OK. I cant - old house, no basement.

Those tribs are correct. Although I wasn't 100 percent sure which was caught where. I didn't think we grabbed an female kanawhas. And I didn't thnk I took a banded cuz I already had one. Oh well. What's peoples experience with the roanoke darter? I feel he might not be eating. He is the only one I think might not be. He is also a very big male. I'm gonna try and direct feed him more.

#49 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 11:17 AM

That's so funny how everyone is different. My bandeds eat fine. My kanawhas I think are eating. Good thing about me is my darter tanks are in my bedroom. Where AC is on all spring, summer, and winter al windows are open ahah. I can't sleep hot at all. I need it like 60. I was worried about the snubnose at first not eating. But I've learned they follow me around just like the kanawhas

#50 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 04:49 PM

Except keeping native birds it totally illegal! There are none that are allowed to be kept at all. There is an interesting comparison there for us to think about?

Interesting, I was thinking more about rules against parrot smuggling being illegal, i never thought about native birds.

Honestly I do think captive rearing of darters and other natives should be done to get an established market before the threat of overcollecting occurs. (and though I do not think hobbyists should collect the rarest of darters, I do think specialists should collect and breed some in order to ensure the existance of their populations).

Oh I like your darter pics Justin, I am glad your darter tank is doing well, mine is down to just 5 or 6 darters, for the first time ever I had to deal with stage 2 cycling and I was lazy/unmotivated and never really faced it much so I lost alot as (despite me knowing it happens) it took me by suprise.

My 55 and my 10 never did that. (my 55 cycled strangely, and i suspect my ten did it in the hottest part of the summer when i constantly changed water to cool it down as it was getting almost 90 degrees dayly for a week or two). Changing water twice a week in my darter tank was not enough to keep from losing 8 darters and 2 shiners in it. My shiners and sculpins in my 55 are doing just fine.

I wish my sculpins didn't hide as much and were less camoflaged their body shape is very darter like (but with angrier looking faces) making them very cool looking indeed.

#51 Guest_daveneely_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 05:09 PM

I wish my sculpins didn't hide as much and were less camoflaged...

Then they wouldn't be sculpins, would they?!

#52 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 05:11 PM

I can't believe all those darters died. I think u should take a break from collecting and get ur tanks in order honestly. I wouldas locved to keep those darters

#53 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

Guests

Posted 17 September 2009 - 05:56 PM

I can't believe all those darters died. I think u should take a break from collecting and get ur tanks in order honestly. I wouldas locved to keep those darters

I still have 5 or 8, mostly the new darters.

My tanks should be all in order now.

And the last part does not suprise me, you want every darter in the world. Or at least every one not in new england. (yes, I know we only have two)

The bass is always greener at the other end of the state line.

#54 Guest_bumpylemon_*

Guests

Posted 17 September 2009 - 05:59 PM

I still have 5 or 8, mostly the new darters.

My tanks should be all in order now.

And the last part does not suprise me, you want every darter in the world. Or at least every one not in new england. (yes, I know we only have two)

The bass is always greener at the other end of the state line.

**every darter in the US. and yeah i would rather an extra darter as compared to a dead darter.

#55 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 06:15 PM

For me Roanoke darters are one of the easiest to feed.

That's kinda weird, I've never had a whole lot of luck getting them to be consistent eaters. I've seen them pick up a bloodworm here or there that settles to the bottom, but I never see that fat/happy kinda food agression I get from Etheostoma. As a matter of fact, most of the Percina I've kept have not been great eaters. Am I doing something wrong? I thought frozen bloodworms=happy darters.

#56 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 07:01 PM

Then they wouldn't be sculpins, would they?!

Dave,
Well said. I wonder what they would be? Labor Day was great, I'm glag you're feeling better.

Bryce

#57 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 17 September 2009 - 08:29 PM

Justin, do you have darters others mailed to you in that tank as well as ones we caught? We did get some female or young male kanawah darters made sure you got at least one female as well as a young male or two with the two big honkers. Mine are all doing great. The bunch of little silvery mystery shiners are easier to see in my tank at least 5 of the 1 inchers are Warpaints just starting to show some color a number are Tennessee Shiners I think, with a number I'm still not sure of. At that trib of the Roanoke we got a swallowtail shiner as well. I also took some tiny snubnose darters under an inch. I have them in with the school of tiny mystery shiners and at least 3 of them are eating flake when I feed the shiners and they actually ate enogh to get fat bellies. I really didn't expect that. I've got the Kanawahs with the Mt Redbellies and saffron shiners but may split them up as no matter how much food I toss in there the dace and shiners launch a feeding frenzy that leaves little time for the darters even though they try to get their share.

#58 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 10:32 AM

I feed darters chopped live blackworms, mosquito larvae and Moina for the first couple weeks, then offer frozen foods and cooked shrimp later to supplement the live foods. Some individuals go for frozen, some dont even within the same species. If they start losing weight, increase the live foods. Some darters will also eat green peas (chopped to appropriate size). I use sand or bare-bottom (painted black) in darter tanks so food doesnt get lost and rot in coarse gravel.

That's kinda weird, I've never had a whole lot of luck getting them to be consistent eaters. I've seen them pick up a bloodworm here or there that settles to the bottom, but I never see that fat/happy kinda food agression I get from Etheostoma. As a matter of fact, most of the Percina I've kept have not been great eaters. Am I doing something wrong? I thought frozen bloodworms=happy darters.