The Native Bug

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J

jpac716

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 30, 2011
255
0
46
Live Oak, Florida
I want to know how and when the native bug hit you and ia picture of you first or favorite one you have had.

October 3, 2011 it all started

I was cleaning out the pond in front yard and found a 1" lmb and remember my dad keeping one when I was a kid so I decided to keep and headed over to this forum in the month I have had the native bug I have acquired 4 species.

pic of my pride and joy

2011-11-02_17-15-18_500.jpg

2011-11-02_17-15-18_500.jpg
 
Awesome pic bro. A friend of mine brought me along on a NC Aquarium collecting trip and introduced me to native fish back in the summer of 2005. I've been keeping natives on and off since then. Right now I have a red finned pickerel. :)
 
When I used to go fishing as a little kid (7-8 years old), I always ended up doing very little actual fishing and more sloshing around in the stream with a dip net. Brought home a few creek chub and before I knew it I was going to the local bait stores sifting through their bait tanks for contaminants - imagine walking into a tackle shop and seeing an 8 year old boy elbow deep in the minnow vat scraping the bottom with a dip net in an attempt to find darters and sculpins. Fast forward 16 years and here I am now. My prize native fish? Probably my mudminnows, refer to my avatar.
 
I'm pretty sure my first native bug hit was a mosquito.
When just a wee lad I had asked my dad during a fishing trip about taking home the pretty pumpkinseed. He said we couldn't and I didn't think any more about it.
30 some years later and economic crisis necessitated cost cutting. I just can't go fishless, but if I drop the heater...hmmm.
hobby's just as fun, even if my hands are numb after maintenance.
 
I've always been obsessed with Minnows and fish like you guys, i used to get bands of kids together and catch tons of minnows just to look at. We actually used to ambush smaller northern pike in the weeds and managed to catch a few. I decided 2 years ago that i wanted to get my first fish tank. No question in my mind it was going to have native fish in it. I just find tropical fish boring and not as entertaining. I've got a 72 gallon bowfront now and a 55 gallon column
 
I took an ichthyology class about two years ago and got to see most of Missouri's native fish as preserved specimens. We went collecting for a field trip and I was amazed at some of the fish (especially the orangethroat darters) we netted out of the crappy little creek in town. I've always had a fish tank growing up since my dad used to keep fish and he got me a 29g as a kid so I checked craigslist and bought a 55 which seemed huge at the time. Now I get to enjoy it when people come over to the house and compliment my tank then surprise them when they hear that all the fish are native and I caught them myself. I can't wait until I have my own house and can afford something more substantial. I really want to make a custom darter tank that's very long, pretty wide, only about a foot tall, with current that simulates a native Ozark stream.
 
Spotted Gar! I don't have one yet, but I will once I get an established native tank of fish large enough to house with him. The true spotted gar (not Florida) that we have here in Louisiana are beautiful as adults. They look like tinfoil with leopard spots. I have buddies with tank raised ones that are extremely gentle with handfeeding - they slowly nibble until they get the food. Something to watch, they're very deliberate with their movements.
 
I've been keeping natives since I started the hobby when I was 10. It all started with a couple creek chubs,a bullhead and a green sunfish. Since then I have always had at least one tank with natives. In 1998 I decided that I would only keep natives. I have kept almost every native fish from Ohio except for about 5 and a few from other areas in either an aquarium or 1500 gallon pond. Right now I have 17 species.
 
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