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Jack Dempseys breeding in South Dakota hot springs


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#1 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 16 January 2013 - 04:50 PM

http://www.activista...sed-by-exo.html

#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 16 January 2013 - 06:48 PM

"He has discovered water hyacinth just downstream from a farmer’s market that featured the exotic in a water fountain."

I recognize that picture; that's my local farmer's market. Or at least it looks like the farmer's market outside of Greensboro on the Winston-Salem side. When I went there a few months ago there was water hyacinth in tubs and fountains. I noticed it and commented to my friends about it but didn't do anything else. It's already here and has been here for a long time. http://nas.er.usgs.g...s/ei_crass.html There is a long history of people putting terribly invasive species in ponds and not batting an eye. *coughs* goldfish. The one good thing is that plants like water hyacinth don't usually stick around. It's from Brazil and not really capable of overwintering well. The hot springs and warm water factory refuges mentioned in the article are not really all that common. Tropical species usually die.

Edited by EricaWieser, 16 January 2013 - 06:50 PM.


#3 Guest_don212_*

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Posted 16 January 2013 - 08:25 PM

unfortunately none of that is true in fla.

#4 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 16 January 2013 - 11:16 PM

...Or South Louisiana. Tropical plant species are a horrible problem. More costly than any aquatic vertebrates.

#5 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 12:07 AM

Maybe the Burmese pythons will keep down the population of other exotics.

Usil

#6 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 09:13 AM

Can I just say that that article is true, but exaggerates WAAAY to much. First, the Jack Dempsey is a CENTRAL american species, not south. Second, yes it is related to a peacock bass, but that is like saying a Neon Tetra is a Red Belly Piranha. I don't see that neon tetra doing the same damage/impact that the piranha has.. And yeah, all the fish keepers fault. Why not pass the blame on the importing businesses that bring the fish in, or the people who collect the wild fish to import, or the other countries for just having the species..

#7 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 10:14 AM

Agree, but what do you expect the guys blog is the angry angler or whatever. Definitely needs to be taken with a pound of salt.

But, it is important for us to know as native fish enthusiasts that there is this perception out there about aquarists... true or not it doesn't matter... it is a perception that we have to be careful of. Some of us like to keep fish in aquariums. Native fish. And we need to make sure that we are living to and promoting only the highest standards. So while I don't agree with this guys attitude, I am interested to see it and understand it.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#8 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 12:47 PM

And THAT is why MW is a cherished NANFA board member.

And we need to make sure that we are living to and promoting only the highest standards. So while I don't agree with this guys attitude, I am interested to see it and understand it.



#9 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 10:04 PM

I also keep small pythons, and public perception with any of these "weird pets" is always a tricky issue. None of my pythons will ever get over 7', and none could make a winter here, but people really don't care about facts. Same thing goes for sensationalist writing about pet fish.

#10 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 18 January 2013 - 11:54 PM

I love snakes too and made a few trips to catch the two boas that live in the US back in the 70's. I used to find large populations of snakes within city limits back in the 60's but I think most have vanished there.

Usil

#11 Guest_wargreen_*

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Posted 27 January 2013 - 08:52 PM

right now the Jack Dempsey cant tolerate the cooler waters away from the warm springs in the winter.....but I wonder how many generations of fish it will take before they can gradually build up a resistance to that cooler water; or if that's even possible in a recordable amount of time

Edited by wargreen, 27 January 2013 - 08:53 PM.


#12 Guest_GoFisch_*

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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:37 PM

Interesting. I live within an hours drive of the Fall River and am not surpised by the possibility of tropical or semi-tropical fish surviving in a hot spring fed stream like this one. It is a very weedy and shallow stream running mostly through the town of Hot Springs. It keeps a pretty constant temp, even in winter. To my knowedge, it seems to be too warm for trout, smallmouth bass or possibly most other native or stocked fish found in our area. I think the lack of competition or predation is what allowed this fish to take hold. Last time I visited Hot Springs, I also noticed several large goldfish below a bridge in town (not tropical of course, but it gives you an idea of what happens to many unwanted pets). I don't think there is any risk of these fish surviving in the Cheyenne River which the Fall River runs into. It freezes over most years.

I have also heard from a state hatchery worker that a local man near Hot Springs has a hot spring fed pond in which he keeps tilapia. Hard to believe in a state where winter temps often hit 20 below zero.

Maybe I should take a collecting trip down there to see what sort of surprises I can find. Might be a miniature Amazon. :wink:

Edited by GoFisch, 30 January 2013 - 02:47 PM.


#13 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 31 January 2013 - 12:02 PM

On a similar topic, There is Lake Columbia here in WI (portage area) that is a powerplant run off. That lake is known for having a population of piranha, I have seen a couple of oscars in there, and even seen one just outside of the "dam" where it flushes into the Wisconsin River. I highly doubt they can survive long in the Wisconsin River if they voyage very far away from that outlet, but I would also be afraid of what else might be in lake columbia that we aren't told about/don't catch.

BTW, I couldn't say that it is KNOWN for the piranha breeding population, but if you go there you most certainly stand a chance of catching one. It is claimed that they aren't breeding, but I have seen 3 fish from that lake, 2", 3.5" and a 5" fish. I assume they would be breeding. I haven't fished there in 10+ years, but I again assume that with a constant temp of 78 ish, it easily could sustain populations.

#14 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 31 January 2013 - 12:40 PM

Are they real piranha, or pacu, that look very similar but are herbivores with very different teeth? I routinely encounter pacu sightings in the Tennessee River in 'bama.

#15 Guest_BenCantrell_*

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Posted 31 January 2013 - 01:19 PM

There have been a few news articles about pacu, but they were believed to be all caught by now. I haven't been up to that lake yet, but I'd like to check it out. Sorry for the thread jack!

#16 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 31 January 2013 - 03:03 PM

I have seen real pirnaha. It makes sense that in news articles they would say they are "pacu" to protect the public from getting scared/worried.



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