I only post what works for me, i use a very small either barbless hook, or take a pair of pliers and flatten the barb on the hook i have, that way you dont have to do any real damage removing it. i use salt in all my native aquariums which is good for the fish, and i think helps keep any bad stuff from getting started in the tank. I have caught hundreds of very small sunfish this way and NEVER seen any signs of disease at the hook site. Everybody does things different, so do what works for you. I just cant seem to reach everywhere i want to catch a fish with a net. I dont keep very many fish, but i do fish a lot, i never use barbed hooks, because ive seen too many fish caught and mutilated trying to remove the hook, i miss a few because of no barb, but i tear up or mutilate none. I also carry a pair of really long nosed pliers in my back pocket to remove any hook that gets in too deep with out killing the fish.
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
- Thread starter DemonShark
- Start date
When I first got my pumpkinseeds, i also caugh yellow perch and blue gills. i noticed that some of the fish (especially yellow perch) had black spots on them. i found out that this is a parasite so don't keep any with black spots. the smaller fish didn't have any.
greenearthlawns;2743971; said:
Blackspot is only dangerous to the fish in large quantities and is not spreadable to other fishes. In order to complete its lifecycle the fish is infects must be eaten by a bird. Unable to transfer to another host the blackspot will die in a few years. My pumpkinseed had it when I caught him, now its gone.
jimv8673;2743220; said:
Thanks for all the great advice!
Although I must just point out one thing!
Salt is not good for fish, far from it. Salt iin fish is like medicine in humans. Take it when you're sick and it helps, take it when you aren't sick and it will just make you sick. Its a treatment, not a prevention.
Take a look at this article-
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/*************/showthread.php?t=27150
Thanks for the heads up though. I'll definitely have some salt on hand incase I see any signs of disease.
Any treatment for black spot or is it just a waiting game?
DemonShark;2744810; said:
I didnt mean keep the tank like sea water, a handful in a 75 gal tank when i add fish acts as a deterant, Each subsequent water change delutes that to the point of -0- salt. Proof, I never have sick fish , or fish with any kind of disease, but ive only been keeping fish for 30 years, so youre probably right.
jimv8673;2745282; said:but ive only been keeping fish for 30 years, so youre probably right.
Hey, I've only been keeping fish since I was 6, total of over 21 years. Over a dozen tanks set up right now, voted MOTM on a half dozen forums, I breed fish for money and make thousands doing so, I contribute articles to numerous publications like TFH and Aquarium Fish International, and I managed the fish section of a pet store for a good number of years , so you are probably right.
Disease-free since 1989! Beat that!
But hey, I've never seriously kept native fish before, so any advice is really appreciated, and I do appreciate everything you're saying. Don't think for a second I'm taking any of this for granted! Thanks again!
Congratulations, Im impressed, although with those credentials, you would think youd be giving advice, not asking for it Hmmm, well at any rate, its an honor to have such a learned individual in our midst. and thank you for setting me straight on that point.
