Some questions about Mahseers!

[Marcus_H]

Hello!


I have some questions about the indian carps called Mahseers.

The questions are especially about the two really big specimens, the Humpback and the golden Mahseer.

1. Am i correct, that both of those can reach weights over 100lbs, while the humpback mahseer is more the massive type of fish and the golden mahseer turns out to become a pretty long and slender carp?

2. Those two are from what i kno the really buties, the humpack mahseer with the nice silver glare and the golden mahseer with this awesome yellow and the lines along the body right?

3. What do those two fish eat? Do they hunt? or are they just Omnivores like most other carp fish?

4. What is the coldes temperature those fish can withstand? Is it possible to keep them in a pont during the winter with a light heater around 10°celsius or do they need over 20° celsius the hole time?

5. Can they survive a time like winter like european carps using some kind of hibernation?

6. Is it possible to breed these two carps?

Greetings

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

Can't answer them all, but off the top of my head:

3. Omnivorous. Shouldn't getting them on fish/feeders. Don't know if they'll decimate a planted set-up, though.

4. Tropical temps. 10 degrees is just asking for trouble. 22-26 should be good.

5. These fish don't hibernate. They're not you're average "carp".

6. Possible, but you'll need a big set-up and a good number of them.

Hope this helps.

 

[Marcus_H]

Hello&thank you very much,


hmmm i hoped that they were a little more resistant against temperature changings. Because there are some people here in germany keeping

http://www.aquarticles.com/images/China4b/p06b M astcs.jpg

Myxocyprinus asiaticus

in their ponds without any heater so those carps are able to withstand even temperatures around 3°c.

It is possible to keep a pond up to 15°C with a really strong heater, but anything above would be extremely difficult and it is still necessary to let the other fish like koi hibernate.

So all in all: if Mahseers are not able to hibernate somehow it is not possible to keep the in ponds here and they are way to big for most aquariums.

I guess its the same thing with other really huge cprinids like the catla-barb or the gigantic iraqui barb?

Greetings

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

And a good day to you.

I doubt Mahseers will grow to Sturgeon lengths. It's just that I wouldn't advise anything lower than subtropical temps for them and that the tank/pond should be indoors if kept in where you are residing.

Also, Myxocyprinus asiaticus is called the China Hi-Fin/China Sucker for a reason. They come from the mainland, and are generally in a similar boat with Gar and Koi. Temperate fish who so happen to be tolerant of tropical temperatures.

 

[Marcus_H]

Hi

ok but are there any other big Cyprinids which could be kept in a normal pond withou a heater?

Because: Koi, Carp, High-Finned-Carp that's not reall that much.

Of course there are numerous species around the size of 3to30 inches, but i am looking for really big cyprinids in cold water.

But i guess the iraqui giant barb is also not able to withstand lower temperatures (but on the other hand there are cold areas in iraq).

Edit: I forgot the grass carp and the bighead carp, but both could be quite problematic because of their feeding habits, the one neds special food the other wipes out your entire plants.

How about
Mylopharyngodon piceus?


Greetings

 

[kendragon]

I've tested my mahseers in the pond this winter and they did fine. Southern California winters are pretty mild. I feed them pellets even thought they eat anything I throw in. They love to graze on the algae. I also have spinibarbus outside in the pond.

 

[Marcus_H]

Hello,

thank you for this information. But how cold is such a "mild" winter? I guess the pond did not had a frrozen surface?

But it is very important to be specific about this, 10° celsius is technically no problem for some months, but 15°c are way harder to achieve over a prolonged period.

Greetings

 

[kendragon]

Hello,

thank you for this information. But how cold is such a "mild" winter? I guess the pond did not had a frrozen surface?

But it is very important to be specific about this, 10° celsius is technically no problem for some months, but 15°c are way harder to achieve over a prolonged period.

Greetings

For clarification, San Diego Summer pond temp is 28 deg C. Winter is 15 deg C. No freeze over. No ice.

The Golden Mahseer (tor putitora) from India is collected and fished in the Himilayan foothills. They spawn in temp of 20-23 deg C.

Here's an extract from study on the Himilayan Mahseer:

Koshi is the largest river of Nepal, with the largest catchment area. This river is formed by the rivers Indrabati, Tama Koshi, Likhu Khola, Sun Koshi, Dudh Koshi, Arun and Tamor. Another large river is Sapt Koshi, with a catchment of approximately 60 000 km2, 55 percent of which lies in Nepal and 45 percent in Tibet. About 10 percent of the catchment is covered with ice and snow. The climate of the river basin is of monsoon type with a mean annual rainfall of 2 110 mm, mean maximum air temperature of 37°C, and a mean minimum temperature of 8°C (Scott, 1989, as cited in the Woodlands Mountain Institute and IUCN/Nepal, 1994).

 

[Marcus_H]

Ok so it might be possible to keep them successfully at 10 degrees for some weeks, but after all this issie would require a practical test.

Thank you very much for this information, because i knew they where found at mountain rivers, but id did not know how cold such rivers get in india.

And i can tell you from my practical experience, that Pangasius Hypothalamus is diening around 13° and those are also catfsih from rivers, but i guess pangasius does not rech the higher levels in the mountains.

Greetings