Fish Folk

Ready…set... (Almost a go on lift off!) …

If you're an ADD breeder (like I am) you probably do not stick with a single species terribly long. You can breed Angels even in a 20 gal. long. But if they grow to full size, that will definitely NOT do. Angels actually enjoy shoaling, so the very best arrangement is a large tank with a number of them together. I think that a 55 gal. is about right for someone looking to keep them awhile. But I think that a 75 gal. is ideal if you want to keep them for a lifetime. Don't get me wrong though . . . I cram them in when I'm breeding. It's just never a long-term proposition for me. I breed them, then sell the brooders as a confirmed pair, and sell off the young angels then too once their bodies are about dime-sized.

A long while ago, in the golden age of coffee houses, I recall hearing about an author who set up a table sign reading something like, "I will buy you coffee if you will tell me your story of true love." I've always thought that to be a fascinating proposition. Today, I made my fish a proposition . . . "I will feed you live baby brine shrimp if you will come out for a photo and let me tell your true love story." Ok. So maybe I didn't say that. But I did feed my fish live bbs. And I did take some photos (you'll see brine shrimp in all photos). And I will tell you some some stories now. German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) This Ram was spawned, hatched, and raised right here on the Forum! His bright colors owe to living in only one sort of water his entire life (mine, soft, mountain city water) and being fed ridiculously high quality foods. He's spawned already, and I'm enjoying raising up 75-100 of his fry -- a "2nd generation" from this line, also right here on the Forum. I fell in love with these fish as my son bred them for BAP. He's done a great job with them, and I've loved watching the process. We got interested in these when one LFS refused to order them in because of how poorly they did in their water, while another LFS sold us our first breeding pair and promised they were easy! Keep them warm (83-degrees) and keep their water clean (30% water change 1x / week) and they're just fine. I'll breed these as long as I'm interested in the hobby. I'm never bored of Rams! Redtail Goodeid (Xenotoca doadrioi) I think it was an interview Irene did with Greg Sage that first caught my eye on these CARES species from Mexico. Unless you've got a very special LFS, you may never see a Goodeid in your fish store. I certainly had never heard of them before. I filed it away in my mind. Some time later, I was taking a bunch of fish we'd bred to a fish store out of our area. Our Fish Club friend, the manager, offered cash or exchange for fish from his personal fishroom. "What do you keep?" I asked. "Oh, about 75 species of Goodeids" he replied. Woah! I immediately asked about these, and he prepared a starter colony of eight Xenotoca doadrioi. In our 20 gal. long, they have produced over 70x fry since then. These are from near San Marcos, but not exactly. They were brought into us by the Goodeid Working Group, and acquired by our friend. We sell these only to serious aquarists who plan to preserve the line. Emerald Killifish (Fundulopanchax scheeli) This also is a born-and-raised-here-on-the-Forum story. I started with a trio given to us by another friend from our Fish Club when we gave him the Brilliant Rasboras my son had bred for BAP. These males are stunning in good lighting. Little sky blue rocket ships. They grow about finger-length, can be jumpers, and are omnivorous. We've kept them in different contexts - 10 gal breeding tanks, 1 gallon grow-out jugs, 33 gal. long colony, etc. For someone who like Bettas, but is feeling like a new adventure, check out Killis! These are African fish (though Killis can be found all over the planet). They are not "annuals," living several years, and breed easily in Java Moss or sinking yarn mops. Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) Not to be confused with the Southern Redbelly Dace in the background, the young male blue-fringed and striped Rainbow Darter is a representative of my growing interest ing U.S. native fish. Common to a wide region of the midwest, I acquired these through a dealer who specializes in selling US native species. These guys actually came along as "extras" from a trade I arranged with the seller. At the time, this fish was too young to sex properly. But after months of good feeding and care, he's growing nicely and really coloring up! Darters in home aquaria can feed primarily on quality-sourced frozen blood worms. They have virtually no swim bladder, so they stay entirely on the bottom of things, much like a Goby. With two dorsal fins, they are in the Perch family. They live in temperate water -- requiring no heater -- and greatly appreciate heavy flow and lots of added air (e.g. Hydor circulars, or a powerhead). As far as I know, mine haven't successfully spawned yet. But I'm hoping to! I keep about six of them between several cool water aquariums of U.S Natives. They are friendly towards other species. Brine shrimp isn't really their standard fare, but he came out to explore! Redtail Notho (Nothobranchius guentheri) Now, this fella is an annual African Killi -- he'll only live a single year, and should be kept by aquarists who intend to breed and perpetuate the line. I've gotten into them right here on the Forum, and have just recently bagged up my first set of eggs in hopes of hatching out in about two months. I got him from a serious Killi enthusiast, who recommended these before I got into my ultimate goal: Nothobranchius rachovii biera 98. I started with a trio that he bought for me from another breeder. I traded him some of my F. Scheeli for these. One female died, but the pair remaining still is goin strong, spawning each day in the peat moss cup I've got in their tank. They need quality but small foods to eat. They can be jumpers . . . though mine have not ever jumped out (yet). Peaceful Betta (Betta Imbellis) This tank is very hard to properly photograph fish in. I got this guy (and two females) while awaiting my annual killifish to be ready to hatch out. His story was very dramatic recorded on the Forum here, and I've named him CAREy in honor of this forum. He's successfully spawned two times, but I have not yet figured out exactly how to preserve the fry. He's a wild swamp fish originating from Thailand. Not perfectly peaceful, but reasonably so. His colorations remind me of a wild-form of the popular "alien betta." Blue Diamond Discus (Symphysodon) I walked into my LFS a few months ago, and here were these young Discus! Now . . . you need to understand that we live in the country. Folks out here don't want to spend money on fish. Discus simply do not sell locally. Period. So I ask the manager (a friend), "What??!! Where'd you get these?" He says, "Some guy spent a mint on them and can't keep them alive. He brought these in hoping I'd find a good home for them. You want them?" "How much?" I asked. "$20 each." SOLD! Their favorite food right now is blood worms, but I force them to vary their diet every day. They get on fine with Rams. The Electric Blue Acaras breeding in this tank can be aggressive. I love to grow these out over years, and then either see them, breed them, or add them to my larger Discus tank. "Blazing Autumn" Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) It was hard to get this guy still enough for even this shaky shot! I'm working on breeding out a group of these. The nick-name is my own. Though they're under yellow light, and their water is a bit tinted, the wild orange / gold / green is really remarkable. I do keep some updates on them here on the Forum. I hope we can succeed in transferring a batch of these outside to tubs for the summer season. Telling the truth: I got my brooders at a big box pet store! Beckford's Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) I got a school of these on a lark at my LFS to act as dithers for my Apistogramma cacatuoides breeding project. But they're a load of fun to watch! The males are quite active, and darken up when in spawning mode. I have seen once or twice the nose-down vertical shimmy done by a pair in breeding posture. They love baby brine shrimp! Colors vary from golden to nearly black, depending on their mood, maturity, sex, spawning cycle, parameters, etc. Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides) This fella is part of a current breeding project I'm working on. My son kept a pair years ago, and we've always had soft spot for them. I got a trio on Aquabid from someone I learned was actually a Forum member here. They came in perfect, and have spawned at least once. Apistos are interesting. Sometimes the males bully females . . . but sometimes (especially if there's eggs) females will tail-whip much larger males. They get along generally fine with smaller tetras, and love nibbling on baby brine shrimp wiggling along the substrate. Banded Darter (Etheostoma zonale) Here's my second species of US native darters to keep! I do keep a journal on them here on the Forum. Their main fare, like the Rainbow darters, is frozen blood worms. But they have smaller mouths. Baby brine shrimp can be served as fine food supplements to their diet. Though this is not the most flattering photo, males in full breeding colors make stunning green-striped specimens. I bought 6x from a native fish seller in Ohio, and have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring to try to see if they'll spawn. I've been corresponding with a NANFA contributor who has shared with me fascinating details about his breeding experiences with these species. I've got several spawning mops going... we shall see if they spawn this season or not.

I just linked up some articles and videos for the Owens Pupfish. Crazy story there about Phil Pister, who in 1969 literally saved the last representatives of this species on planet earth in a bucket! Here's a 14-second clip of them now, embedded in an online article from the New York Times. I'm telling you . . . this is as fascinating as it gets for me in this hobby!

@OnlyGenusCaps I am not trying to be too systematic with the articles, videos, links, etc. that I connect with each species. It's a wild, wild ride! So far today I've watched videos from Utah about a pond built into a Jail grounds by inmates to house the endangered Least Chub; a Church in Arkansas that set up a protected wetlands walk on their property for the protected Watercress Darter, along with its minister who was passionate about ecology; Coyote Petersen catching Sculpins from tide pools in Alaska -- a _different_ species than the one I listed; random kids filming Desert Pupfish breeding in the wild after a rainfall; and a guy catching golden topminnows from waterways in his _city_. It's such a crazy fun thing to research. Of course, I make use of helpful Wikipedia articles, remembering that the most helpful part of any Wikipedia article is always the links at the bottom under heading "References." I also have linked to some fishbase.us articles -- which provide a treasure trove of helpful research data. But I'm also finding curious NANFA articles on breeding these species, blog postings by non professional enthusiasts . . . so much to enjoy.

@Widgets Holy cow! Nope, I'd never seen that site. Wow -- great photos. What a list. Florida truly is a NANF paradise. I suppose most folks have seen this video, but if not -- it's so worth the watch! Cory joins up with Wild Fish Tanks YouTuber catching wild fish in Florida...

I am beginning a long process of going through and adding article and video links pertaining to each NANF fish species on this list. As I add them, you'll locate these resources at the bottom of the entry beneath the fish photo(s) like this: < websites accessed 04-22-2022 > Article 1 | Article 2 | Article 3 || Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 It's a long, long project. So hang in there!

Here’s my “Phew!” from yesterday. I got this far… And I realized this was a problem. My % won of what I’d played had been fairly good… This could be it. The day I flopped my streak. One wild guess… And “Phew!” Indeed!!

I bet there’s loads of interesting native fish in that canal!

@Widgets wow! Holy smokes…. 😬

Hard to be sure, but sounds like you've got the start of cyano. Your steps make sense. If you've not read this, I think it's a very helpful study: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/blue-green-algae Now, the real money question is this: what has been contributing to its growth? If even the smallest scrap of live cells survives your treatment, unless you change the factor(s) that are bringing it about, it will return. (Believe me . . . I represent that remark . . .)

Thanks for sharing. There are many, many different values among the people on our planet. But I deeply wish we could agree to value the responsible stewardship of life on earth and its thoughtful conservation. There is some sense in which this is a “first world” issue… both the exploitation, and the conservation. We, well-fed, financially solvent, thoroughly educated… we are often the same people who want massive quantities of “fish meal” products… as well (one the other hand) as those able to invest a lifetime in the study of marine conservation.

Holy wordle Batman… I almost lost my streak today! I’ll wait til tomorrow to share the blow-by-blow… but it was truly a “Phew!”

I do love them! We bred the closely related Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish (species separated from the Gulf Coast back in 2009, if I recall reading correctly). You bring up a major difficulty: they DO NOT like commercial foods. They must be fed live foods. We seeded our tank with black worms, and didn't feed them again for months. We also hatch live baby brine shrimp several times a week in our fish room. So . . . maybe the caution should be: Pygmy Sunfish require live foods, and should be limited to experienced aquarists who are equipped to provide such fare the them. Here's our intro video on the Elassoma Okefenokee...

I think you'd be better off with a school of 6-10 in a 5 gallon aquarium. But there are amazing fish that you could happily keep in a 3.5 gallon. Have you ever considered the Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish? You could put a trio in here, heavily, heavily planted, and they'd probably lay eggs and hatch fry. No heater needed. Gentle filtration...

I'd like to have a look if you can get a shot of this. It is hard to imagine exactly what you're seeing. If you can find what you're describing here, or here, see if you can tag it with a name. There's the possibility that you're dealing with something besides algae too.

Do you spawn them in seasons? We've never kept big goldies outside. My favorite is just the simple fantail. If I could unlock breeding them, I'd probably be in trouble . . .

I'll not derail this thread. But if you post anything on breeding Rams, I'll be sure to followup.

Foo the Flowerhorn did it with Amano Shrimp and Sparkling Gourami...

I suspect you'll need a screen of sorts to award off predators as well. If I were doing this, I'd cut a large piece of screen. Check out this option: I'd probably try to DIY a solid ring around the outside to attach the screen to. Non-plumbing, furniture-grade adjustable joints could be glued to pieces of PVC to create an 8 (or more) sided shape to fit over top of your pool... But this is all very expensive. Maybe a roll of chickenwire with twisty wire to connect pieces would be cheaper and suffice to keep Herons and Racoons out. Once they discover your Kiddie pool, your fish are gone. Absolutely GONE.

Looking great! What sources are you preferring for your tannins?

I like this article by ACO. Hydra always show up when I'm feeding newly hatched live baby brine shrimp a low to fry. In other news . . . "Breeding Rams since 1972" . . . woah! Rams as in Mikrogeophagus ramirezi? I'd love a loooooong chat over coffee to talk about your experiences.

@drewzero1 Game laws in every state are a headache to follow, but need to be respected. For my part, I just call up my state DNR on the phone and ask about what I want to do. Sometimes they complain . . . telling me it's in the published regs / guides / etc . . . but I always ask them for help so that I do not miss anything. Wisconsin is famous as a NANFA center. If you're not already a member, consider joining and finding fellow enthusiasts in your state. I wonder if someone with a bait license could collect and sell certain species in Wisconsin. For my part, as much as I love the thought of grabbing wild fish form the creek behind my house, and setting up a "mountain Maryland biotope," I've settled on preferring the agency of an experienced specialist who sells NANF species full time to hobbyists. Though he cannot possibly get me everything, he can advise me on a lot and really helps steer my enthusiasm in helpful directions. We are also very fortunate to be part of an amazing Fish Club, PVAS. It's populated by the guys who lead regular trips with Project Amazonas down to Peru; boasts a former NANFA president . . . some professional breeders . . . a Goodeid Specialist . . . Killifish experts . . . and many, many people who have forgotten more about fish keeping than I'll ever learn. Believe me when I say that at Fish Club meetings, I am an absolute nobody over in the corner soaking it all in!

She looks fine to me. A video would be more helpful though. Sounds like you know your Rams well, and are tuned into them enough to respond when they spawn. We’ve been breeding Rams awhile now. I like the way they work in tanks with “bigger issues” than one another (i.e. where they’re not dominant)…

Here we go ya NERMS! Gonna wrap up this first pass over native miniature fish from all 50 US States, reasonably suitable to home aquaria. Again, not all are free to just catch and take home. And there are a number of cautions to anyone thinking about this: remember that wild stuff is . . . wild. Diseases and pathogens are easily brought in from the wild, so proceed with an abundance of care if you're wanting to start up a NANF tank. But here we go, the last nine US States in alphabetical order... Tennessee - Rainbow Shiner (Notropis chrosomus) avg. 2 inches. Quickly becoming the most popular NANF in the hobby. These are mine colored up spawning. Here's two videos [1, 2] taken today of my Rainbow Shiner fry. Texas - Rio Grande Cichlid [Texas cichlid] (Herichthys cyanoguttatus) 4.5-12 inches. Well if you know tank busters, you saw this one coming! Utah - Least Chub (Iotichthys phlegethontis) 1-2 inches. Found only in Utah. Schooling species. < websites accessed 04-22-2022 > Article 1 | Article 2 | Article 3 || Video 1 | Video 2 Vermont - Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pelllucida) avg. 2.9 inches. As name suggests, likes sand! Virginia - Saffron Shiner (Notropis rubricroceus) avg. 2 inches. I am going to say... in breeding dress, this is my personal favorite NANF fish. I am planning on starting up a 29 gallon aquarium in a few months with the intention to breed these. Washington - Olympic mudminnow (Novumbra hubbsi) avg. 2.1 inches. Washington's only known endemic freshwater fish species. West Virginia - Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni) avg. 2.8 inches. Endangered species. Very iconic! Wisconsin - Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus) avg. 2 inches. Yay! A tiny US native catfish for home aquaria. Wyoming - Pearl Dace (Margariscus margarita) avg. 3.6 inches. Listed as endangered in Wyoming, but found elsewhere in US.