Best place to get natives?

[WalterMelon]

In my humble opinion, the best place to get native fish is from a baitshop. The local owned baitshop near my house is always getting in natives with its minnows. If you give them a call, and ask, most of them will set you up with something. They didn't charge me for the fish, just $.50 for the bag to take them home in, plus I bought a container of angleworms as treats. I ended up taking home:

2 sunfish ~ most likely green hybrids ~ 3" long
2 Brown Bullheads ~ 2 1/2" long and 2" long
1 Yellow Perch ~ 4" long
1 Mudminnow ~ 4" Long

pretty good for $.50!!!


My second choice is my LFS, From there I picked up:
4 Orange Spotted Sunfish ~ 3" long
12 Western Mosquitofish ~ 1.5" long


Third Choice; wild caught.... I currently have no wild caught in my aquarium, but at one time I had LMB and 4 Green sunfish. I eventually gave the sunfish to my LFS and the bass to a friend. They were already 6" when I caught them and they were actually harrassing the turtle that shared the tank with them (nipping at his feet, stealing food out of his mouth).

Fourth choice; Aquabid and other online sources: I recieved my turtle from a breeder for two reasons, #1 it was a species not available locally (its a species that does not go after fish, just invertbrates, and the males stay small). #2 I could choose the sex, and the person who selected the turtle knew how to sex the turtles even as juveniles. I usually use aquabid to get snails to feed the turtle, but they occasionally have something good in there native fish section.


So which is your favorite

 

[JIM]

IMO the best place to get em is in your local area, lakes streams, rivers etc. (Within the Law) there is nothing like gettin out, never knowin what youre gonna get, maybe you keep it maybe you dont based on the fish and your ability to provide it a proper home for the rest of its life. Just the exercise is great if nothin else.

 

[sandtiger]

One of the major perks of native fish keeping is the collecting part so that's what I voted for. Second to that is the internet, though there are only a few native vendors they carry a wild variety and have good reputations. Plus there is always the prospect of trade and such with generous enthusiasts.

 

[hmoobvwj]

Your local water environment such as: Ponds, Streams, Rivers, lakes, creeks etc....
Just make sure to do it legally and try not to take sooo many that you harm that ecosystem.

 

[Gator]

Have to agree with Sandtiger. Half the fun is getting out to go catch them!

 

[WalterMelon]

I enjoy the collecting when it comes to natives, but I never seem to get anything smaller than about 4", 6" being the usual small size for some species. The bait store and LFS (and online too) provide juveniles, which seems to help in switching them over non-live food. (a real bonus because my LFS refills containers of food for 1/2 price!!)

 

[Louie]

I have never collected mine even when I lived in NY. I had variegated darters than for few yrs .

I have purchased them or gotten them in trade like this unknown darter ("cost" me 25 fire mouth cichlid fry gotten from yard pond) that I got last week from fish club friend in NY who found it in guppy feeder tank.

I have no idea what it is but black striped, black finned and meanest darter in the tank . Half the size of the growing male brown darters yet he will run them off .

Pictured next to swamp darter or female brown darter not sure .

 

[JIM]

Great lookin darter

 

[Bluecatmatt32]

from a baitshop i got 2 channel cats for bait but they were too cool to use as bait. i dont even know how many bullheads i got from the baitshop and i got a baby lmb bass in the minnow tank on accident

 

[Bluecatmatt32]

are darters cool,aggressive,smart and what do they eat. how big do they get