Posted 31 October 2009 - 11:41 AM
A few years ago I had one, very cool fish, but unfortunately he died. (I think i screwed up the water or something)
However...
I have another one
I thought I posted pictures of him already but I checked my tank thread and I guess I forgot.
Anyways, I found him in august while dipnetting for mudminnows in a canal not far from where I live. He was about 3 inches long at the time. Since then he has grown to about 8 inches I would say (I haven't measured him). He ate absolutely everything in the tank except for a small crayfish. He made a few goes but has decided he hates the feeling I guess, because he just ignores him now.
He likes to hide in a driftwood log, but once I come into the room, or splash my fingers in his tank, he comes out and looks around. VERY cool fish to watch. One thing I learned: my other fish I have kept (bass, pike, exotics) would see a feeder, and nail it down. I'm sure you know what I am talking about, they kind of tilt and angle at it and then BAM, they hit it and eat it... This burbot is different, he would stalk the feeders. He would swim behind the rocks towards them, even go into a cave once they swam past it and wait for them to cross the opening. Very different than other fish I have kept. He also likes to catch a feeder and then bring it to his cave o eat it (though he makes exceptions now that he is so comfortable with me)
Because he likes to hide, I added some shiners to the tank to give it some action. He shredded one, because it was too big too eat. I might try some different tank mates in the future.
Food wise, I have been feeding him shrimp lately now (those ones that come in a ring, please comment on whether this is a good food for a fish, my research on another site seemed like it would be good, though it should not be the exclusive food) Anyways, nothing beats a feeder fish, though. He spits out all kinds of things, and it took a battle of wills to get him to eat shrimp. Chopped shiner was no problem whatsoever for him, but he wont even look at pellets, or anything floating. He's a bottom feeder and that's the way he likes it.
The tank is in my basement, and the water stays pretty cool (sorry I broke my thermometer). I have not noticed any odd behaviour or signs of being unhealthy, that would lead me think it is too warm for him. We catch them out of the red river now and again, so I don't know how vital it is for them to be in deep cold water. My thoughts? Look at this long skinny, toothless, smooth-skinned fish with no spines and a lazy disposition. Where would you go? Theses guys must be a sweet find for a pike or other predator, so they head deep, where they grow big and then eat everything.
they are also slower growing (or so I was told!) than other fish, but this guy is putting on the pounds! Burbots are expected to be sexually mature at about 3 years, and usually (surprisingly) about a foot long. Needless to say, that info might be off, although it might be a growth spurt as a juvenile, followed by slower growth over the years to reach the 4 foot long 15-20 year old behemoths. time will tell, and I am prepared for him to at least double in size, and I plan to make it work, because they are so different a fish from anything else freshwater.
Ok thats it for now, any questions? Sorry about the long boring essay, i just really like these fish and I haven't shared my experiences yet. I forgot to post pictures, and that's really too bad, because I have had him for a few months
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