Went To Alligator Alley

[MultispeciesTamer]

Why are you arguing about things you don't really know much about? Did you know that both tarpon and snook rely heavily on the freshwater systems of florida when they are young? Did you know that millions of dollars of revenue will potenialy be lost due the die offs? You say non natives don't belong, yet you fish for salmon and trout. You say that even those don't belong, but your fishing for them helps ensure their future.

Yes I do know they use freshwater. And snook and tarpon are an important fish and fisheries. But I do think as said they will bounce back and be fine, the species are not in danger of extinction or anything. The risk of losing money on fishing for these species was a risk every sport fisherman takes. So dollars may be lost but at the cost of closing down the fisherie for a while, but its worth losing money to ensure the species strong comback instead of risking wiping them out with fishing still open for them. So would you rather make money this year and risk wiping them out or lose money this year and keep the species alive and well?

 

[likestofish]

A few dead snook is nothing compared to a massive musky die of in lake St. Claire a few years ago but you know what its back and better then ever. So when you have 1000+ dead snook floating around then you can say you had a massive die off. But if only a few are floating here and there stop worring.

You have to realize there isnt as much pressure on muskie as there is on snook, also i think they already had a die off last year of about a few hundred.

 

[aussiemonsters]

I have followed this thread with some interest as here in Australia we have many introduced cichlids which are slowly spreading through our warmer streams and impoundments. Most notable O. mossambicus which has formed large populations in nearly all warm impoundments over the last thirty years. These fish used to suffer massive winterkills but have adapted and now this is rarely seen. They have had a huge impact on many of our native fish, though our large predatory fish feed on them. I have followed the introduction of Peacock bass since the mid eighties as a great deal has been written on the subject since the initialproposal. The introduction of Peacock bass into South Florida in 1984 has been without doubt one of the few non native introductions which has worked as they are contained in the enviroment they have been introduced into and control introduced cichlids to the benefit of native species providing a fantastic fishery. I hope they recover and any of the native species affected as well. As an aside Florida is often quoted here in Australia by biologists as a worst case scenario for introduced species as you have so many, not just fish all types of animals.
Steve.

 

[MN_Rebel]

eh, just wait for our idiots release the nonnative cichlids and whatever that swins into the canals. it will repopulating the cichlids populations again.

 

[Robbwilder]

Would love to see photo confirmation of live peacocks but in EVERY canal I look Into all I see are huge dead pbAss. It is very sad! I would say I have seen over 100 in a 3 mile radius. That's just pbass not Mayan tilapia plecos. I did see a livE iguana today.

 

[Louie]

I have followed this thread with some interest as here in Australia we have many introduced cichlids which are slowly spreading through our warmer streams and impoundments. Most notable O. mossambicus which has formed large populations in nearly all warm impoundments over the last thirty years. These fish used to suffer massive winterkills but have adapted and now this is rarely seen. They have had a huge impact on many of our native fish, though our large predatory fish feed on them. I have followed the introduction of Peacock bass since the mid eighties as a great deal has been written on the subject since the initialproposal. The introduction of Peacock bass into South Florida in 1984 has been without doubt one of the few non native introductions which has worked as they are contained in the enviroment they have been introduced into and control introduced cichlids to the benefit of native species providing a fantastic fishery. I hope they recover and any of the native species affected as well. As an aside Florida is often quoted here in Australia by biologists as a worst case scenario for introduced species as you have so many, not just fish all types of animals.
Steve.

Funny you point out O. mossambicus because of all the non natives here its the one which has adapted the least and rarely seen or caught.

I have seen them in one particular canal but never out of that.
I had no idea what they were due to large weird lips the males had and asked around no one knew.

Even those that fish a lot in Miami rarely see or catch them while the other Talipia are common (well were) .

I suspect your winter temps are fairly "high" stable for them to spread.

 

[Louie]

Would love to see photo confirmation of live peacocks but in EVERY canal I look Into all I see are huge dead pbAss. It is very sad! I would say I have seen over 100 in a 3 mile radius. That's just pbass not Mayan tilapia plecos. I did see a livE iguana today.

Same here just PB death but lets hope enough made it in deep canals,etc . I cant fathom the state/FWC restocking anything at this time or for yrs to come.

I actually sent an email to President and state Gvnr suggestion new jobs by getting some type indoor breeding facility for PB and native fish going.

It was a long shot lol but thought would create new jobs and help restock at same time not just Miami but all over the country.

 

[aussiemonsters]

Funny you point out O. mossambicus because of all the non natives here its the one which has adapted the least and rarely seen or caught.

I have seen them in one particular canal but never out of that.
I had no idea what they were due to large weird lips the males had and asked around no one knew.

Even those that fish a lot in Miami rarely see or catch them while the other Talipia are common (well were) .

I suspect your winter temps are fairly "high" stable for them to spread.

The tilapia species which we have here in South East Queensland has been described by government biologists as O. mossambicus though I have had some doubts about this . I think it may be a niloticus hybrid though this is not my area of expertise. There is some DNA research currently being undertaken but no results published yet. I will post some pics would be interested in anyones opinion. Winter temps in streams go down to 12 degrees C in impoundments rarely below 16 C exept when rollover events occur.
Steve

 

[Louie]

The tilapia species which we have here in South East Queensland has been described by government biologists as O. mossambicus though I have had some doubts about this . I think it may be a niloticus hybrid though this is not my area of expertise. There is some DNA research currently being undertaken but no results published yet. I will post some pics would be interested in anyones opinion. Winter temps in streams go down to 12 degrees C in impoundments rarely below 16 C exept when rollover events occur.
Steve

"I will post some pics"

That would be great.


12 c is on the cold side imagine die offs during winter and than fish repopulate come warmer temps?

I am surprised that Peacock bass can make it long in 16 c but you did say that was low side. They seem to be the most heat loving of all the non native fish here.

I am no expert on fish but the Mozambique I have seen have huge lips (males). This pic which I got off a site doesnt do the male justice.
It looks like young male. http://fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.php?ID=3&what=species

Here they seem rare as even in this forum never heard of anyone catching or seeing them. I know only one area that has them.

I would think your introduced PB would also eat natives?

 

[Superlaz]

To those who love you to jump on the kill all non natives wagon....I can understand where you're coming from, but would appreciate it if you reserved your comments to something you knew more about.

Comparing almost any body of water, to the water systems in South Florida is pointless. What you know as invasive species devestating your fish populations is not what happens here. There is barely a main rd in Miami that doesnt have a canal running with it. What I mean to say is, the fish have MORE than enough space and have all found their niche in our ecosystems. Natives and non natives live side by side without issues. If anything, Our natives are flourishing from feeding on non natives.

Our largest problem doesnt even come from species vs species issues, its the eroding canal walls from pleco burrying for nests. Its easy to place your 2 cents in, but they carry more weight when you have first hand experience and have seen how things down here actually work.