Musky keepers?

RD.

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Short of owning a pond, or some kind of massive enclosure, I have never understood why people buy these. Where do all these fish eventually end up, on the barbecue?

In captivity a 2 ½” YOY tiger musky should easily reach 12” in its first year. No matter how many idiots keep them in a 55, or 75, or whatever, for a couple of years, musky require a VERY large tank, or pond, when mature. These aren’t fish that grow up in a mud puddle alongside some road in Indonesia. Muskie are very large, and are very serious predatory wolves, with fins. They sometimes even hunt in packs, just like wolves.


https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/muskie-mysteries-lake-st-clair-anglers-aid-international-study-on-muskie-movement-survival


"Researchers were already surprised by a 39.5-inch-long male that was tagged near Belle Isle in the Detroit River in May 2016 and swam to the Buffalo harbour by November and was last heard in Lake Erie in January."


Now that’s what I would call an open water predator.

This is where I grew up fishing as a kid.

Lake St. Clair


https://www.can-amcharters.com/muskiefishinglakestclair.htm



An example of how fast a tiger can grow in its first year.


https://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=45263


“my old tiger lives in rogers cabelas now I had him for maybe a year fed him thousands of minnows and when he got too big ~15" I donated it to them it has grown 120% since then and actually I heard they move him to the big tank now


I learned quickly they need a tank much bigger than you think it would... he liked to attack the "muskie in the mirror" and kinda messed up its chin


the biggest problem is the tank I had it in was ~2ft tall 4ft wide but something like 15" deep just like most common tanks wide and somewhat tall but not deep enough I think you need a big round tank like they do for sharks... when I had the tiger it swam a lot almost non stop it seemed
very fun fish though I got it about and it was 2.5" not even a year or so later 15" crazy”
 

catspaw

Feeder Fish
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Nov 30, 2018
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Short of owning a pond, or some kind of massive enclosure, I have never understood why people buy these. Where do all these fish eventually end up, on the barbecue?

In captivity a 2 ½” YOY tiger musky should easily reach 12” in its first year. No matter how many idiots keep them in a 55, or 75, or whatever, for a couple of years, musky require a VERY large tank, or pond, when mature. These aren’t fish that grow up in a mud puddle alongside some road in Indonesia. Muskie are very large, and are very serious predatory wolves, with fins. They sometimes even hunt in packs, just like wolves.


https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/muskie-mysteries-lake-st-clair-anglers-aid-international-study-on-muskie-movement-survival


"Researchers were already surprised by a 39.5-inch-long male that was tagged near Belle Isle in the Detroit River in May 2016 and swam to the Buffalo harbour by November and was last heard in Lake Erie in January."


Now that’s what I would call an open water predator.

This is where I grew up fishing as a kid.

Lake St. Clair


https://www.can-amcharters.com/muskiefishinglakestclair.htm



An example of how fast a tiger can grow in its first year.


https://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=45263


“my old tiger lives in rogers cabelas now I had him for maybe a year fed him thousands of minnows and when he got too big ~15" I donated it to them it has grown 120% since then and actually I heard they move him to the big tank now


I learned quickly they need a tank much bigger than you think it would... he liked to attack the "muskie in the mirror" and kinda messed up its chin


the biggest problem is the tank I had it in was ~2ft tall 4ft wide but something like 15" deep just like most common tanks wide and somewhat tall but not deep enough I think you need a big round tank like they do for sharks... when I had the tiger it swam a lot almost non stop it seemed
very fun fish though I got it about and it was 2.5" not even a year or so later 15" crazy”
I plan to donate mine to the local aquarium. But I also live in Minnesota. Where they are native.
 

RD.

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Really? What local aquarium would that be?

But I also live in Minnesota. Where they are native.
What does that have to do with anything?
 

piranhaman00

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Really? What local aquarium would that be?



What does that have to do with anything?
Insinuating a release perhaps?

Musky and Northern Pike should not be kept in home aquaria in my opinion.
 
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RD.

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Insinuating a release perhaps?
I didn't want to make any assumptions, but that's certainly how it came off.


Musky and Northern Pike should not be kept in home aquaria in my opinion.
Agreed, unless one owns a massive system.
 

Lepisosteus

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May 20, 2014
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Insinuating a release perhaps?
Aquarium fish should never be released into the wild as I’m sure you are aware regardless of if they are native to the area or not.

As for keeping musky I have no expierience but I’ve kept northern pike. I grew out a few in a 120 wide up to around 12”. Did this with 5 different fingerlings (never had more than one at a time). Took around 1 year for each to hit 12”. From there they were released into my million gallon pond. The pond was full of largemouth bass, bluegill, perch. All would reproduce yearly. After the pike were introduced all other fish populations declined. I found 3 of the pike dead after one cold winter when I went diving in the spring.
 

Lepisosteus

Potamotrygon
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Pond was around 60ft diameter hitting 16-20ft in the middle. I would even consider the pond to small for the pike. I’ll get some pictures of it soon. No longer own the property but it’s still thriving there.

With that said, aquariums are to small for most fish we keep but we do it anyways. This is why I don’t personally believe in the tank size argument. You could argue that ray keepers don’t provide enough space for their fish. Same as ATFs, RTCs or anything we consider a monster. Why is one deemed ok but the other frowned upon?

If you want to keep a musky, just plan what you will do if it outgrows your tank. Expect 12” the first year. Nothing wrong with having a BBQ or smoked fish if you can get over the “ethics”. Can’t say I’ve eaten a fish ive kept as a pet but I’ve eaten plenty of the same species. No different then the store bought trout, tilapia we all eat.
 

RD.

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You could argue that ray keepers don’t provide enough space for their fish. Same as ATFs, RTCs or anything we consider a monster. Why is one deemed ok but the other frowned upon?
I personally frown upon a lot of fish that are kept in captivity. I have no issue with anyone that wants to grow fish out and eat them (I prefer the flavour and texture of wild caught) or if they have a large pond etc to keep them in as they mature, but from what I have seen on various forums over the years most musky owners don't seem to have a long term plan.
 

Lepisosteus

Potamotrygon
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May 20, 2014
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I personally frown upon a lot of fish that are kept in captivity. I have no issue with anyone that wants to grow fish out and eat them (I prefer the flavour and texture of wild caught) or if they have a large pond etc to keep them in as they mature, but from what I have seen on various forums over the years most musky owners don't seem to have a long term plan.
Won’t disagree with anything there.
 
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