Large Native Tank Input, Please

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M

mbutzer

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2006
21
0
0
MN
I am looking for input for a 460 gallon Minnesota native tank. 120 gallon sump. This will be my first non-tropical venture, but I have many years overall experience.

Recommended fish loads (I like bowfin and bullhead, but open to ideas)?

Recommended filtration rate (turns/hour)?

Any cool ideas or tips are welcome!
 
People don't understand that native fish are no different than any of your tropical fish. You take care of them the same exact way...The good thing is though that you save money on heating! Good deal right lol? Ok I think that you need to tell us first though if you want a bunch of small colorful fish or do you want a few big bad boys? Also turnover rate should be the same as any tropical tank. and by small colorful fish I was talking like sunfish and perch...big fish: bowfin, bass, gar, ect.

Chad
 
Four to six turns and hour is great if you can keep the heat down. Heat might not be an issue depending oh where the tanks is located (basement) and what fish you intend on having.

Four turns will put you at 2300 and six would be 3500 GPH. As you may know some fish really can't take the heat so pump selection (or GPH) will be based on the fishes you want.

I run most of my tanks at 5 turns with mechanical and heat isn't an issue.

As far as selection...I love active tanks but native bruisers are also attractive. Bass...meh. I could do without. They tend to kill or harass tankmates just like bowfin. You could keep one monster bowfin /bass. You could also have a top quality pickerel/swampy sunfish tank. Gar would be a great idea if your tank has the right dimensions and you want big fish. Gar live peacefully amongst themselves but would eat any small fish they could fit in their mouths.
You might also want to consider a tank filled with peaceful sunfish, killifish, shiners, darters and madtoms.

With that size tank you can do just about anything you want.

Do you want to put only MN natives in the tank?
 
With that tank I would also prefer a sunfish and pickerel tank...But I do love my bass.

Chad
 
My bass harasses fish that are smaller, but leaves equally sized fish alone. I think a bowfin would be an awesome idea. BTW, welcome to MFK< great to see another MFK member here!
 
Thanks, everyone for input so far.

Five turns is what I was thinking. I'll have about 10' head. Specific pump recommendations would be most appreciated - that's one thing I have no experience with.

Location will be basement. Winter temp low 60s. Summer could be 70s.

Yes, MN fish is the target. I'm torn on the smaller/prettier/active theme vs. the big fish theme. At heart, I'm a big fish guy. I want fish that I can get onto dry food, if possible.

Bowfin keepers: How many in this size tank? What other tankmates, if any?
 
Well I WAS a bowfin keeper up until a few days ago. What I would do is get one a LMB and a nice big channel cat. You could probably keep a gar or two also. That is what I would do if I wanted to keep a bowfin. If not about ten pickerel and about three of each kind of sunfish that I could think of lol. (not really every kind of sunfish maybe just like 3-4 kinds of sunfish).

Chad
 
I am very intrigued by the bowfin and gar idea. Spotted, I guess? I'd really need some education on these guys, especially feeding.
 
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