Paddlefish

[ermgravy]

I wouldn't be interested on a personal level. If i was was to spend that much time money and space these days it would be n a dwa mammal, large cat or bear.... I wouldn't want to do a half job and to do it the way id feel happy would cost well into the £10,000's in setup costs.... Its more the space issue for me, I would love to do it but id like to keep incontact, pick your brain from time to time. heck if im that way at all maybe even call in for a coffe and a quick look at your setup?

I do know where all five of the imported ones ended up and we still have all 5 alive here in the uk in some very good setups. Im sure there owners may be interested in expanding there collections...

 

[Ozarker]

Finally, someone speaking from the proper end of their alimentary canal! <G> Thanks for joining the chat, jbijl.

Some questions for you:
How many do you currently have?
What do you feed and how often?
Do you agree with the statement absolutely prohibiting glass tanks and square corners, even for fingerlings?
What are the dimensions, shape and construction of your 10,000 gallon tank?
Do you keep them in a species-only tank? If not, what are the tank mates?

Many thanks for sharing your experiences.

Here in Holland you can get them a baby cost 30 euro and a big one 250 euro.
I have them 4 years and the are more than 3 feet in length.

 

[snot]

Finally, someone speaking from the proper end of their alimentary canal! <G> Thanks for joining the chat, jbijl.

Some questions for you:
How many do you currently have?
What do you feed and how often?
Do you agree with the statement absolutely prohibiting glass tanks and square corners, even for fingerlings?
What are the dimensions, shape and construction of your 10,000 gallon tank?
Do you keep them in a species-only tank? If not, what are the tank mates?

Many thanks for sharing your experiences.

X2 any info on how you do it across the pond would be very helpful. Thank you again

Sent from my HTC Glacier using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Chub_by]

You can get them in Germany for about the same price as in Holland!

They arent difficult to keep in large ponds but i wouldnt recommend them for aquariums!

 

[watsontony]

really looking foward to the info jbijl.

 

[jbijl]

I Have 4 Paddelfish that i have for 4 years now , They are all more than 3 feet, when i buy them the bill was damage this heald now but you can see the the damage
When they are grow you can see at the bill how fast en big becose the new grow is white of collor
I have also a Acipenser sturio this i have now 2 years i buy him when he was 1 feet he is at the moment 4 feet and still grows fast
and than i have also some Koi in there
The koi and the Acipenser sturio are in the pond for cleaning the exes food after the paddelfish have been fed

You cannot keep paddelfish in a smal basin evrything smaller than 500 gallons ( this is fore one baby paddelfish adult must be 1500 gallons for one) becose the will swim against the wall and the spine will deform also the bill and they will slowly die
A glass wall is also not good fore them becose the see to late the glass wall and hit this and damage the bill and doing so getting problems to find food and there way in the aquarium
I have red the part of fingerlings and that the keap small bull crap they can get 7 feet (2,20 meter)
If someone want to have these fish the have first look of hey have the space to give atleast 2 addults the room to live in and that is 3000 gallons whitout anny obstructione

I did 2 years over the bild for the paddelfish basin this is 23 feet (L) x 13 feet (B)x 6 feet (D) there i have 2 skimmers on one bottem and a surface of 4.33 inche
This will be than be pre filtert and this go in a protein skimmer whit ozon (3.8 gr) than it will go in to a Hydrofiet Filters that 20 feet long whit swamp plants and than it will go back in the basin

Before i buy the paddelfish i did a lot of reeding about them and when i was sure i can give them what they needed i started whit the bild when i was finist i buy them and not sooner
but the paddelfish will be small by the Acipenser sturio
gr Jeroen

 

[Ozarker]

gr. Jeroen, many thanks for the informative post. You clearly did your homework and put lots of thought into housing and care before you acquired your paddlefish and you are to be commended for that. You are a role model for responsible aquarists.

I have a few more questions for you:

What do you feed, how much and how often?

How large were your paddlefish fingerlings when you first acquired them? Did you immediately place them into your pond as fingerlings or did you initially keep them in a smaller containment, a "nursery" of sorts, for observation and feeding?

You obviously have excellent filtration. How is the visibility in your 6 foot deep pond? Are you able to see and observe the paddlefish and sturgeon?

I agree there are no "dwarf" paddlefish. That's either a marketing ploy or a severely stunted fish. Only two species of paddlefish worldwide.

A. sturio - wow! That's a rare one. I have three A. ruthenus and two A. gueldenstaedtii which are doing well for 3 months so far.

Thanks again for sharing.

Gordon

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

grow up to 5feet, and can be 50 years old. a fish in my opiniun that should not be in the aquarium trade

Not for the general public for sure but if people can keep arapima then this is not so much of a stretch. I've seen some tanks on here that could accomodate the fish. Just because most can't keep it doesn't mean all shouldn't

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

Isn't this forum for Monster Fish Keepers? I for one have the appropriate housing: 125, 250, 1,000 gal. tanks, and outdoors a 5,000 gal pond and a 1 acre pond (approx.100,000 gal).

When you say "they should not be tanked! glass, square sides and less that 10,000 gal" are you speaking from personal experience? If not can you point me towards research to validate your statement? I have seen them in public aquaria (Shedd, Atlanta) in square-sided, glass fronted tanks of, I believe, less than 10,000 gal.

As I originally posted, I would like to hear from folks with actual experience keeping paddlefish.

Yeah, saying the animal is poorly suited for captivity/aquariums and not having any experience is kinda defeating the point of this thread. I get that the animal has a huge overhead to proper husbandry. I don't want one, but I think these types of threads have the potential to inform proper husbandry of such an animal. As stated on here people keep larger fish in aquariums on this sight I see no reason for paddlefish to not be a pursuit of the enthusiast.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Not for the general public for sure but if people can keep arapima then this is not so much of a stretch. I've seen some tanks on here that could accomodate the fish. Just because most can't keep it doesn't mean all shouldn't

Arapima is different from a pelagic paddlefish.