Keeping Native Fish in Aquariums?

Any rules against keeping a few of the fish you catch in your personal aquarium?

Most of us here do that. Whether Texas has any laws about that, I don't know, although I doubt it. Maybe somebody here can help you with that, if there is anybody who lives in Texas or collects in Texas. But I imagine if you find nothing on your state agency's web page, or in the Texas code (I assume it is online), then probably not. You could also call somebody at your state agency and ask that question.

I know this is not directly related to Texas, but I personally asked a guy from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission that question, and he said that there are no special laws regarding keeping fish in aquaria. As long as you take the fish legally, they don't care whether you release it immediately, kill it and eat it, or keep it alive in an aquarium. I would be willing to bet that Texas is the same way.

I'm told that in Minnesota, fish caught and kept in an aquarium count against your daily limit. Fish bought and paid for do not.

I'm told that in Minnesota, fish caught and kept in an aquarium count against your daily limit. Fish bought and paid for do not.

So as long as I throw a quarter in the lake I should be ok?

Sounds as good as the glass bait bucket argument!

I realize this is an old post, but for reference....

 

The laws in Texas for possessing and catching fish are available on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department webpage. You have to have a freshwater fishing license for any collection of freshwater fish, unless in a State Park or on a privately owned lake. Within a State Park, basically you can use hook and line only. The majority of rules on fishing and collection of fish in Texas have to do with "Game Fish" and have to do with size and catching methods. Mostly for the listed game fish, it's hook and line only. Most fish of interest for home aquariums are non-game. There are a few rules regarding tagging traps, types of traps, and dimensions of traps for the collection of these. There's basically two sections you'd want to read on the TPWD website. One is for fishing license requirements and the list of game fish, the other is for fishing devices. There are some lakes that have rules on transporting water sourced at the lake, due to invasive Zebra Mussels. There is an online resource for that listing by lake, also.