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Texas Collecting Information Requested


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#1 Guest_Dunkleosteus_*

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Posted 14 January 2007 - 02:34 AM

hello all,

I'm new to this board, and very happy I found it. I've been interested in fishkeeping (seriously) for several years now, but I only recently got into native fish keeping thanks to an ichthyology class I recently took. Now, I've got Oklahoma fish pretty well covered, but my zoology club is taking a trip down through texas to the coast during spring break to collect fish, among other things. I don't have a final itinerary, but I'mpretty sure we'll be hitting several freshwater streams and then use a boat to troll in the gulf of mexico. The club president has worked all the legal details out, and we'll have liscenced faculty from I believe Texas A&M with us, so no worries there.

I've been looking online but haven't been able to find any information on native texas non-game fish in either fresh or saltwater online and I was wondering if anyone could point me towards any websites or books that I could use to study up before the trip. I know I haven't given much information about where we'll be but I'll have more info later, and when I found the board I had to post something about the trip.

Thank for any help you can give,
Paul

#2 Guest_nativecajun_*

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Posted 14 January 2007 - 08:21 AM

Wished I could help. I find that the info on the web beyond NANFA is very limited in scope as to native non-game species for home aquaria. I just study the petersons field guide, and I do mean study. I go back and forth from the plates "photos" to the maps, to the text part. Some fish are very localized in their teritory and some are lets say "where there is water". With that said I hope someone on here can be of more assistance to you and if you do find a better book, which I am sure there must be, than the petersons please let me know.

#3 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 14 January 2007 - 11:49 AM

A forum search for "books" reveals these threads, among others:
http://forum.nanfa.o...p?showtopic=490
http://forum.nanfa.o...p?showtopic=135

You may want to read those threads. I have "American Aquarium Fishes", as well as the Peterson's Field Guide. They are both good books. I think for ranges and ID's while collecting, you definitely want to have Peterson's. But beware, the fish sizes in there seem to be maximum, record sizes, not realistic aquarium sizes which seem to be typically much smaller. While there is no reference that is gospel, I usually use the NatureServe web site:
http://www.natureser...let/NatureServe
to get a more realistic idea of fish sizes. But Peterson's is good for ID'ing and has nice range maps.

You can also search the NatureServe site by watershed:
http://www.natureser...dHucs/index.jsp

I have also begun collecting fish books about fishes in my home state (Pennsylvania) and surrounding states. The surrounding states both because I am likely to be collecting in them sooner or later, and because many of those fishes also reside in Pennsylvania and there may be useful information in them not included in the Pennsylvania book. Typically, though not always, these books are published by the state agency or state university in the respective state. Since you are collecting in Texas, I will note that "American Aquarium Fishes" is published by Texas A&M University. Whether they publish a Texas-specific book, I don't know, you should look into it on their web page. Also check the web page of the Texas state agency that issues fishing licenses and regulates fishing. I don't know what that agency is, but I imagine you probably do.

Good luck! We'll be looking forward to seeing a trip report :wink:

#4 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 14 January 2007 - 12:08 PM

As far as saltwater goes I have always used Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico Texas Louisiana and Adjacent Waters By H. D. Hoese and R. H. Moore.

#5 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 14 January 2007 - 02:49 PM

http://www.utexas.ed.../coll_info.html

#6 Guest_Dunkleosteus_*

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 09:37 PM

Thanks for all the help! I've already got Peterson's and National Audobon field guides somewhere around here so that's a place to start. The link to UT's natural science center is also helpful. Hopefully we'll be able to make alot of stops along the way down to get a good sampling of what Texas has to offer. Also, we'll be spending most of the time at Port Aransas on the coast so that should be fun!


Paul




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