North American Natives are undervalued...

[warmouth]

Im not close minded Ive had oscars before and they wernt as entertaining as almsot everything that I've caught around here to keep.

I was talking about your friend who thinks keeping natives are retarded.

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

Natives should get the same respect as exotics. The natives don't have to replace exotics but they should on the same playing field. They should be featured front cover sometimes in/on magazines. They should have the same amount of articles, lectures, books and be in all magazines. I believe that natives should be featured in auctions also. I think everywhere the exotics are discussed, covered and exhibited, natives should have large enclosures too.

I have decided to create a website about my fish and "THE CRUD TANK." There is not a lot of information about natives. Most of the time it's a paragraph or two. Or the other available stuff is from a fishermans' point of view. This is not focused on keeping them, spawning, etc...I am not an expert but I want people to see natives as more than "A dumb fish and boring." I will have videos and photos. I will include some information about each fish.

When I started fish keeping I always tried to do the best I could to help fish comfortable. I could only guess at what native aquascaping truly looked like. Thanks to Eric Engbretson showing natives underwater for showing me I was right with my thoughts. I don't know how to swim but Eric suggested that I give it a try. I believe I might take the plunge and see something spectacular someday!!!

People have never valued natives much. I hope to contribute something that might help or spark an interest.

 

[mrwinkle]

Natives should get the same respect as exotics. The natives don't have to replace exotics but they should on the same playing field. They should be featured front cover sometimes in/on magazines. They should have the same amount of articles, lectures, books and be in all magazines. I believe that natives should be featured in auctions also. I think everywhere the exotics are discussed, covered and exhibited, natives should have large enclosures too.

I have decided to create a website about my fish and "THE CRUD TANK." There is not a lot of information about natives. Most of the time it's a paragraph or two. Or the other available stuff is from a fishermans' point of view. This is not focused on keeping them, spawning, etc...I am not an expert but I want people to see natives as more than "A dumb fish and boring." I will have videos and photos. I will include some information about each fish.

When I started fish keeping I always tried to do the best I could to help fish comfortable. I could only guess at what native aquascaping truly looked like. Thanks to Eric Engbretson showing natives underwater for showing me I was right with my thoughts. I don't know how to swim but Eric suggested that I give it a try. I believe I might take the plunge and see something spectacular someday!!!

People have never valued natives much. I hope to contribute something that might help or spark an interest.

I agree, amen.

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

Mrwinkle, when are you going to post pics of the 300 gallon with the gar, bowfin and bluegills?? I can't wait to see them together.

This should make you laugh...The 300 gallon I told you about is coming by the end of Aug. if it is not sold. However, I have just found another 300 and a 250 for sale too!!! So one of these has to be one of my tanks!!! I wish business wasn't so slow, I would buy at least two of these tanks!!!

 

[mrwinkle]

Mrwinkle, when are you going to post pics of the 300 gallon with the gar, bowfin and bluegills?? I can't wait to see them together.

This should make you laugh...The 300 gallon I told you about is coming by the end of Aug. if it is not sold. However, I have just found another 300 and a 250 for sale too!!! So one of these has to be one of my tanks!!! I wish business wasn't so slow, I would buy at least two of these tanks!!!

WOW that is great news about the tanks. I will be putting them in the 300 pretty soon trying to give them a reasonable amount of quarantine time. but as soon as i do i will post some pics and pm you.

 

[Mr.Nooby]

thing about natives is that many people never really know how amazing they are until you fish for them haha. i never really know that a walleye/muskelunge have true teeths. when it comes to sunnies. i find that sunnies have more attitude than cichlids. more active and more ferocious. sunnies fights differently and rarely backs down. they don't do mouth locks if you had own a sunny. native fish can be very smart too if you ever own them. my LMB can reconize me pretty well.

 

[warmouth]

I like the unknown diversity in Centrarchids, most people will know about a yellow lab or a Tiger Oscar, but very few people know about the different sub-species of Longear or Dollar Sunfish, or the fact that theyre still finding new Sub-species. Alot of people dont know about the different sunfish temperments just in the Lepomis genus from the peacefull Orange spotted sunfish to the aggressive Dollar Sunfishes. Around the Ozarks where I live the locals call everything either "Bream" or "goggle eye" not knowing that in the South central we have Ozark Bass, in the North Rock Bass, and in the South east Warmouth. Most people dont even know the diversity in their own state!

 

[davdev]

I am new to this hobby, and in fact haven't even bought a tank yet, as I could never decide on inhabitants. I originally researched African Cichlids, like I am sure a lot of newbs do. But while they are colorfull, I never actually saw a tank I liked, a bunch of stacked rocks really doesn't look all that good. So I then started looking at CA/SA Cichlids, and liked the habitat setups I saw much better, plus the fish just seemed cooler.

Then a few months ago I went fishing and caught a few Sunfish. I had never really even given Sunfish much notice, to me they were always a pest fish that stole my bait. However, for some reason I really took a good look at it and for the first time noticed how colorfull they are. I went home and did some research to see if anyone kept them. That brought me here and to NANFA. I am now convinced that when I get my tank setup it will be dedicated to natives.

I am not going to catch my own however as I have decided I like Longears the best, and we don't have them here. So I will order on-line.

To me, Natives are much more interesting, mainly because they are not as common. I am actually looking forward to see the reaction people will have when I tell them I am keeping sunfish.

 

[warmouth]

I remember when I first put my Greens in my 39......I got all kinds of reactions from "cool"......to "why sunfish dont they belong on the dinner plate". When I showed them they recognize me, you can hand feed them, and videos of how aggressive they can be people changed their minds. Some of the benefits are that you dont need a heater (just room temp) and they are just as hardy as the Oscars and Convicts I used to keep.

 

[Winks]

to the aggressive Dollar Sunfish.

All i hear are that these fish are really agressive and when i feed my dollars, the tetras (1/4 size of the sunfish) steal the food right before them, and the dollars look terrified. haha