New project...(again)

[Kuli_Loach]

Well one of my buddys got a new tank, 75g, and I got to thinking, how cool would it be to have a native tank? I am thinking of giving him the fish in my 55g and starting it with native species! Couple questions though, is it alright to catch them out of local lake with with hook and line or should I wait on the local fish truck? What about say 3 white or black crappie?

[Incredulous_Ed]

Catching them with a hook is not a good idea because it often causes infection and they die soon after. Also the fish big enough to be caught with a hook are usually too old to adapt to aquariums.

[sailor]

In most places it is illegle to transport wild or native fish.

[smaug]

Ive thought aout doing that for awhile.Afterall if you compare a pumpkingseed sunfish to a flowerthorn or other such cichlid the sunny is actually just as cool looking and has every bit as much attitude as many of the expensive rare cichlids people seem to clamor over.My idea of a natural tank would be the above mentioned with yellow perch and some freshwater clams and lots of anachris,rocks and some wood.Crappy are also a good candidate.Yes I think you could catch them with a hook and line, just be judicious with the ones you actually keep.Use a barbless hook too big for them to swallow deeply and apply melafix directly to the wound after you remove the hook.The biggest problem would be keeping the tank cool,all of our fish are really cool water species and would not do well over 75deg for any period of time.

[smaug]

In most places it is illegle to transport wild or native fish.
How would you get them home to eat if you didnt transport them?:1:

[Kuli_Loach]

Not in Arkansas I don't think. I am thinking of going to the truck anyways so I can get them small enough. I am still pondering over it and my room is cold so I could just lower my tank heater.

[Ty]

I would get some sunfish, they are awesome looking, and look just like some more expensive aquarium fish, yet they can be had for free.

if you have enough paitence, you can net panfish, just set up a hook and worm, and jig with it to attract the fish, then set up a net on the bottom, and when the fish is close to the worm, just lift up the net.

[Kuli_Loach]

Ah if I get fish it will be from the fish truck.

[YaYgoldFish]

Sounds fun...But what do you mean by the fish truck?

[smaug]

Ah if I get fish it will be from the fish truck.
do they actually stock panfish in your neck of the woods?

[Drumachine09]

Sunfish are VERY dirty, and are also prone to disease if wild caught and placed in an aquarium (based solely on personal experience).

They also get fairly large, depending on the species.

If you were dead set on keeping them, I would recommend getting them from a bait shop, as they haven't touched natural waters yet, and won't have as many diseases or parasites.



And the myth that fish die after being hooked is completely false. In most ponds and lakes, if you pay attention to the mouths of fish that you catch, you can see many marks on the mouth as to where they have been caught and released several times.

[Kuli_Loach]

A fish truck is a truck that the game and fish commission has that has HUGE tanks on it and you can go buy fish by the lot on there. Usually they will GIVE you just one or two anyways. They are farmed raised and young.

[gm72]

Sounds like an awesome idea. Just please make sure to double-check that there aren't any laws against this in your area.

[Kuli_Loach]

How is it? You can buy them for farm ponds, that is why the truck goes around. They are not wild caught so I don't see a problem with it and my school had native fish for a while in an aquarium also.

[RichBowyer]

As long as you are buying them transportation is not going to be an issue. Many places have laws against transporting live fish from their native waters. Some states even require permits to house wildlife and that would include native fishes. In Arkansas I would doubt this would be an issue, especially if you buy these fish.
So how cool is your room in August?

[gm72]

How is it? You can buy them for farm ponds, that is why the truck goes around. They are not wild caught so I don't see a problem with it and my school had native fish for a while in an aquarium also.

I'm not saying there ARE laws in your area, I'm just saying to make sure there aren't any. It would make sense that there aren't any laws given that you can buy them from the fish and game truck, just saying to make sure.