Info needed

[Tom500]

Hi i am interested to know if any of you can help me with info on keeping amia calva in aquariums. And are they available in the UK?

Sorry if its in the wrong area i dont know what area it belongs in.
Thanks

 

[jworth]

coldwater, native species. could also research 'bowfin'. they get good size and eat a lot. neat fish.

 

[Tom500]

I see so i would need a cold water tank? A chiller maybe or would room temp be ok. They do look very cool. Thanks for the help!

 

[jworth]

no they would need temps similar to any north american species such as the channel catfish, sunfish, bluegill, LMB. Chiller wouldnt be necessary. Ive seen people keep them in thier tropical tanks as well. probably would reccomend max temp of 75ish.

 

[Noto]

There are several good threads here: http://forum.nanfa.org/index.php?showforum=62

I've only kept juveniles, not adults, but I spend a lot of time in bowfin habitat. They're a swamp/slackwater species; they like a good bit of structure and vegetation. They're ambush predators and will eat any unwary small fish or crayfish. They're pretty easy to get on frozen foods; I haven't tried pellets. Think of them as large bichirs and you'll be all right.

These fish are tolerant of a wide range of temperature, pH, TDS, and so on. Rising spring temps induce breeding; this is probably the only way to see the fish in their full glory- the male's fins turn turquoise and his pattern strengthens. I don't know how easy it is to get them to spawn in a tank.

 

[Tom500]

Thanks a lot ill take a look, is it possible to get them in the UK?

 

[Moontanman]

Bowfin live and breed in a wide range of habitats, cool water is not necessary at all, they live quite well in water well above 80 degrees in the wild. I see them a lot in small ditches where the water temps rise to the point of being warm to the touch and too nasty for other fish to live in. They can breath air and even survive buried in mud. Finding on in the UK would be problematical at best.