Native Fish for a Home Aquarium.pdf

7/28/2019 Native Fish for a Home Aquarium.pdf

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Nat ive F i shfor aH o m e A q u a r i u m

The redbe l ly dace , rosyface sh iner , and ra inbowd ar te r r i v a l th e br ig h t colors of t ropic a l fish .What ' s more , you can col lec t na t ive f ish f roms t r e a m s a n d l a k e s r i g h t h e r e i n M i n n e s o t aKonrad and Mary Stefansky Schmidt

ALTHOUGH many fisli hobbyists en-j o y t rop ica l fish, few k e e p f ishf r o m M i n n e s o t a ' s l a k e s a n ds t r e a m s i n t h e i r h o m e a q u a r i u m s .Many of these nat ive f i sh are asfascina t ing as th ei r t rop ic alc o u n t e r p a r t s .E v e n t h o u g h M i n n e s o t a c a n ' tcompete wi th the t rop ics in thei n c r e d i b l e n u m b e r o f s p e c i e s f o u n dt h e r e , w e d o h a v e a v e r y r e s p e c t a b l ea s s o r t m e n t o f f i s h f o r t h e h o m e h o b -

by i st . Of 149 spe c ies fo un d he re ,135 a r e n a t i v e . T h e r e m a i n d e r w e r ei n t r o d u c e d e i t h e r a c c i d e n t a l l y o rin t en t iona l ly .Minneso ta f i sh a re genera l ly eas -ier to k e e p than t rop ica l f ish. A fe w t h e r e d b e l l y d a c e , r o s y f a c esh iner , and ra inbow dar t e r r iva lthe co lors o f m an y ' im po r ts . At the

o t h e r e n d o f t h e s p e c t r u m , an u m b e r m i g h t b e d e s c r i b e d a s

u n i q u e , o t h e r s a s h i d e o u s t h emot t l ed scu lp in , b rook s t i ck leback ,and longnose gar .W h o s h o u l d t r y n a t i v e s ? A n y o n ew i t h t h e b a s i c e q u i p m e n t :aq ua r ium , f ilte r, a i r p u m p , ho od ,and g rave l ( ava i l ab le f rom pe t s to resthat sel l t ropical f ish) . Any sizeaquar ium wi l l do , even one as smal las f ive gal lons . The hood shouldcover the aq ua r iu m to p r ev e n t fishf rom ju m pi ng . A l thoug h a l i gh t is

n o t r e q u i r e d , it d o e s m a k e v i e w i n gm o r e e n j o y a b l e . A q u a r i u m h e a t e r sa r e u n n e c e s s a r y .Nat ive f i sh se lected for ana q u a r i u m d e p e n d o n i n d i v i d u a lt as t es and ob jec t ives . Fo r those wi thl a rg e a q u a r i u m s , p r e d a t o r y s p e c i e s ,l ike long nose o r sh o r t no se gar ,wou ld be a good cho ice and a l so

p r o v i d e a c t i o n w h e n f e d m i n n o w s .Those who p re fe r smal l f i sh2 6 T H E M I N N E S O T A V O L U N T E E R


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s h o u ld tr y a c o m m u n i t y a q u a r i u mfil led with possibi l i t ies l ike spotfins h i n e r s , l o n g n o s e d a c e , b a n d e d k i l -l if ish , and Iowa da r te r s . Te ac he rsand na tu ra l i s t s cou ld cons ide r us ingt h e b ro o k s t i c k l e b a c k ' s e l a b o ra t ec o u r t s h i p d i sp l ay s to c o m p l e m e n t ale s son on an ima l behav io r .

Befo re m ak ing a f inal dec i s ion ,h o w e v e r , t r y t o b e c o m e fa mi l i a rwi th th e m o re co m m on fishes. Lookat a p p e a ra n c e , b e h a v i o r , r a n g e ,h a b i t a t , a n d a b u n d a n c e . T h i s i n fo r -m a t ion , a long wi th co lo r pho to -graphs o f s eve ra l spec ie s , can befound in Fishes of the MinnesotaRegion (U n i v e r s i t y of M i n n e s o t aPress ) .

C o l l e c t in g T r i p . O n c e y o u h a v ethe aqua r ium se t up , i t ' s t ime to p lanthe f i rs t col lec t ing t r ip . For s ta r te rs ,t r y l a k e s a n d s t r e a ms n e a r h o me .Usua l ly th e r e i s an am pl e va r ie ty o ff ish ava i lable to sa t i s fy everyone ' si n t e r e s t s .

Se i n e s a n d mi n n o w t r a p s a r e t h et w o mo s t c o mmo n t y p e s o f c o l l e c t -i ng e q u i p m e n t a n d a r e a v a i l a b l ef rom ba i t and spo r t in g goo ds s to res .S e i ne s a r e p r o b a b l y m o r e p o p u l a rb e c a u s e t h e y p r o d u c e i m m e d i a t er e s u l t s . M i n n o w t r a p s r e q u i r e s e t -t i n g f ro m a f e w h o u r s t o o v e rn i g h t .

Se i n e s c o me i n s e v e ra l l e n g t h s ,bu t ne t s long e r than 15 fe e t can b ed i f fi cu lt to pu l l and m an eu ve r ,e spec ia l ly in d en se aq ua t i c ve ge ta -t ion o r in na r row s t reams and s idechanne l s . The ins ide foo t o f bo thp e o p l e p u l l i n g t h e s e i n e s h o u l dJ A N U A R Y - F E B R U A R Y 1 9 8 6

B a n d e d k i l l i f i s h

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N a t i v e F i s halways he kep t on the lead l ine top r e v e n t t h e l o w e r e d g e o f t h e n e tf rom r id ing too h igh above the bo t -t o m . I n s t r e a m s w i t h r i f f l e s , w h e r ed a r t e r s a n d s c u l p i n s a r e f o u n d ,s e i n e s w o r k b e s t w h e n h e l d s t a t i o n -a ry and f lu sh to the bo t tom wh i l e at h i r d p e r s o n w a l k s a z i g z a g t h r o u g hthe rocks ju s t ab ov e the ne t .

M i n n o w t r a p s r e q u i r e a l i t t l epa t i e nce , b u t so m e co l l ec to r s findt h e m e a s i e r t o u s e t h a n s e i n e s .M i n n o w t r a p s n e e d t o b e b a i t e dw i t h b r e a d c r u m b s . P l a c e t h e m i nshal low, weedy areas of lakes or ine d d y s a n d b a c k w a t e r s o f s t r e a m sa n d ri v e r s . A s t h e n a m e i m p l i e s ,m i n n o w t r a p s a r e m o r e s e l e c t i v e f o rc h u b s , d a c e , a n d s h i n e r s , b u t w i l la lso wo rk fo r b ro ok s t i ck leb ack s ,I ow a d a r t e r s , a n d s t o n e c a t s .

A f e w h i n t s t o k e e p i n m i n d w h i l eco l le c t ing na t iv e fish: B o t h s e i n e s a n d m i n n o w t r a p swi l l f r equen t ly ca t ch f a r more f i sht h a n c a n b e s a f e l y t r a n s p o r t e d o rkep t i n an aq ua r i um . I t s d i f f i cu l t t oset se l f - imposed l imi ts on f i shb r o u g h t h o m e , b u t o v e r - c r o w d i n gm u s t b e a v o i d e d . O n e e a s y f o r m u l a

to r e m e m b e r : A n a q u a r i u m c a nc o m f o r t a b l y s u p p o r t a b o u t o n e i n chol f i sh per gal lon of water W h e n r e m o v i n g fish f r o ms e i n e s a n d t r a p s , h a n d l i n g s h o u l d b ek e p t to a m i n i m u m . O n w a r m d a y s ,fish s h o u l d b e s o r t e d f r o m m i n n o wbuc ke t s o r l e f t "co r ra l l ed in thes e i n e n e a r s h o r e F i sh a r r ive home in the bes tc o n d i t i o n w h e n t r a n s p o r t e d i n a n

i n s u l a t e d m i n n o w b u c k e t , s u c h a so n e m a d e o f S t y r o f o a m Nat ives va ry g rea t ly in the foodthey ea t . L ive food , i nc lud ing in se c tl a rvae and smal l c ru s t aceans , a ree a g e rl y d e v o u r e d b y e v e n t h e m o s tf inicky fish, bu t a st e ad y su p p ly ca nbe d if f i cu l t t o s to re and m ain ta inw i t h o u t f r e q u e n t t r i p s t o l o c a l p o n d sa n d m a r s h e s . M o s t c o l l e c t o r s t u r nto pe t s to res th a t ca r ry severa l d ry ,f rozen , and l i ve foods fo r t rop ica lf i sh . Minnows adap t t o d ry - f l akefoods; da r t e r s d in e on a r i c he r d i e t o ff r oz e n b r i n e s h r i m p .

P l a n k t o n a n d P l a n t s . A c l a s s r o o mo r n a t u r e c e n t e r a q u a r i u m c a n b e ano n g o i n g e x p e r i e n c e t o s t u d y a q u a t i cspec ies o t he r t ha n na t iv e f ish, suc ha s p l a n k t o n , c r u s t a c e a n s , i n s e c t s ,a m p h i b i a n s , a n d p l a n t s . A n i n t r o -duc to ry exerc i se cou ld be a c l assf ield t r ip to a local , s tate, or countyp a r k . M a n y o f t h e s e p a r k s c o n d u c tn a t u r a l i s t - l e d a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h m a yi n c l u d e a n a q u a t i c e x e r c i s e p e r t i -n e n t to t h e c o u r s e c u r r i c u l u m .if p o s s i b l e , s e v e r a l s p e c i m e n s a n dw a t e r s a m p l e s s h o u l d b e c o l l e c t e d

f o r m o r e i n - d e p t h s t u d y in t h ec l a s sr o o m o r n a t u r e c e n t e r . P l a n k -ton ne t s wi l l be needed to t akem i c r o s c o p i c o r g a n i s m s , b u t m i n n o wse ines wi l l a l so work qu i t e we l l fo rc o l l e c ti n g t a d p o l e s , s a l a m a n d e r s ,c r a y f i s h , a n d p l a n t s . M a n y a r e c o m -pa t ib l e w i th na t iv e fish an d m ak ein teres t ing addi t ions to an aquar ium.Fol low-up exercises could includea key to de sc r i be f ish, ins ec ts , an d

29O n l o g n e ar s h o r e , M a r y S c h m i d t l o w e r s m i n n o w t r a p in t o p o n d .Top, r igh t : S c h m i d t f e e d s n a t i v e f i s hn k . B o t to m : P a u l a n d M a r y S c h m i d t h a u l s e i n e n e t t o s h o r e .


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Nat i ve F ish

C h i ld r e n in M a r y Sc h m i d t ' s s c i e n c e c l a s s ,F r o s t L a k e E l e m e n t a r y , S t . P a u l , v i e w n a -t i v e f i s h in t a n k . D o n R i c h m o n d k e e p sn a t i v e f i s h i n s e v e r a l l i g h t e d t a n k s i nb a s e m e n t of h o m e i n M i n n e a p o l i s .

p lan t s and th e u se o f m ic ro sco pes o rm i c r o p r o j e c t o r s t o v i e w p r o t o z o a ,h y d r as , d a p h n i a , a n d p h a n t o mm i d g e l a r v a e . O t h e r p o s s i b i l it i e si n c l u d e p r e s s i n g a q u a t i c p l a n t s f o r ac lass co l l ec t ion and t es t ing w ate rsam ples fo r pH and re l a t in g th i sinformat ion to the ef fects o f ac idra in .E v e r y o n e s h o u l d b e a w a r e t h a tthe re a re l aws tha t govern co l l ec t inga n d k e e p i n g n a t i v e s . ( S e e s i d e b a r .

Ed.) W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n p r o v i d e df or t e a c h e r s a n d n a t u r a l i s t s t h r o u g hspecia l pro vis ion s, a fishing l ice ns e

is r e q u i r e d t o t a k e n o n g a m e s p e c i e s .T h e f i s h i n g r e g u l a t i o n s p a m p h l e ti s sued wi th the l i cense shou ld ber e v i e w e d e a c h y e a r f o r c h a n g e s o radd i t ions r e l a t ed to the u se o f se inesa n d m i n n o w t r a p s .Game f i sh canno t be co l l ec t ed fo ra q u a r i u m s w i t h o u t a s p e c ia l p e r m i t .Th i s pe rm i t is g r an te d on ly to ind i -v iduals af f i l ia ted w i th sch ools o ro t h e r s w h o m a i n t a i n p u b l i c d i s -p l ays . S t a t e pa rks have s imi l a r r eg -u l a t i o n s , b u t i n c l u d e n o n g a m e s p e -c i es wh ich can b e co l l ec t e d on lyu n d e r a p e r m i t g r a n t e d f o r e d u c a -t iona l and sc i en t i f i c pu rp os es . (Toa p p l y f o r a p e r m i t , c o n t a c t D N RFisher ies Sect ion , Box 12 , 500Lafa ye t t e Ro ad , S t. Pau l , M N55146 . Phone : 612 -296-3325 . )

S p e ci al C o n c e r n . S o m e t h i n gmus t a l so be sa id fo r Minneso ta ' srarer fishes.

A t t h is t i m e , t h e D N R c o n s i d e r sno f i sh in the s t a t e t o be endangeredo r t h r e a t e n e d , b u t 1 6 f i s h h a v e b e e nde s ign a te d to a t h i rd s t a tu s ca l l ed"spec ia l concern" : l ake and shove l -n o s e s t u r g e o n s , p a d d l e f i s h , y e l l o wb a ss , b l u e c a t f i s h , s l e n d e r m a d t o m ,b l a c k r e d h o r s e , b l u e s u c k e r , c r y s t a la n d b l u n t n o s e d a r t e r s , p l a i n s t o p -m i n n o w , p a l l i d a n d T o p e k a s h i n e r s ,g ra v el c h u b , p u g n o s e m i n n o w , a n dA m e r ic a n b r o o k l a m p r e y .The spec ia l concern s t a tu s , byi t se l f , does no t p ro tec t t hese spe-c i e s , b u t m a n y a r e u n c o m m o n a n d

shou ld no t be in t en t iona l ly co l -l ec t ed .3 0 T H E M I N N E S O T A V O L U N T E E R


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Na t i v e F i s h :S o m e R eg u l a t i o n s t oBe F a m i l i a r W i t hMinnow seines can be used only by per-sons possessing an angling license. Theseine cannot be more than 25 feet longor have more than 148 meshes in depth(height of net) for V t" bar measure (onesquare of webbing), or have more than197 meshes in depth for 3 / V ' bar mea-sure, or be more than 4 feet in depth ifmesh is smaller than 3Ae" bar measure.

Minnow traps must be marked in alegible manner indicating the licensee'sname and town of residence. This alsoapplies to seines.

Live carp minnows cannot be trans-ported. 24 dozen minnows maximummay be possessed.Anyone planning to use either a seineor trap should read the game and fishregulations first. "Minnesota FishingRegulations" is available wherever fish-ing licenses are sold.Seining or trapping in designated troutstreams, except with a permit, is not per-mitted. DN R F i s h e r i e s

But a good iden t i f ic a t io n gu ide , l ikethe th i rd ed i t ion of Northern Fishes(UM Press ) , p rov ides f ami ly keysa n d d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n s o f e a c hspec ies . Th i s key a l so n i ce ly supp le -m e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n f o u n d i n Fishes ofthe Minnesota Region.

As wi th mos t ho bb ies , i nvo lve-m e n t g r o w s s t e a d i l y w i t h t i m e . O n eorgan iza t ion to check fo r i deas andto m e e t o t h e r s i n t e r e s t e d in n a t i v efish is t he N or t h Am er ic an N at iv eF i s h e s A s s o c i a t io n . N A N F A p r o -v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n o n a q u a r i u m c a r ea n d m a i n t e n a n c e , c o l l e c ti n g m e t h -o d s, p l a n n i n g t r i p s , b r e e d i n gn a t i v e s i n a q u a r i u m s , g e n e r a l l i f eh i s to r i es o f na t ive fish, p ho tog ra ph ict e c h n i q u e s , c o n s e r v a t i o n i s s u e s ,a n d m o r e .

F o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t N A N F A ,c o nt ac t B r u c e G e b h a r d t , P r e s i d e n t ,123 W t :t M t . Ai ry A ve nu e , Ph i l a -delp h ia , PA 19119.

Co l l ec to r s ge t a g re a t dea l m or eout o f ke e pi n g nat iv es w h e n a l l f ishi n t h e a q u a r i u m c a n b e i d e n t i f i e d .This can be d i f f icu l t ,w i t h t h eh e n d e a l i n g e s p e c i a l l ym i n n o w s .

Konrad Schmidt serves on theBoard of Directors for the NorthAmerican Native Fishes Associa-tion. Mary Stefanshtj Schmidt is ascience specialist for Frost LakeElementary School. St. Paul.

i w ^ s i s ^ n i v s i s v ^ iPositive Proof: Forest Mana gement Pays

AT THE U M C lo qu e t Fo r e s t r y C en te r , a 65- y ea r o ld r ed p in e was cu t clown. T h et r e e h a d b e e n g r o w i n g in a m a n a g e d s t a n d t h a t h a d b e e n t h i n n e d t h r e e t i m e s ,in 1950 , 1960 , an d 1970 . C u t at s t u m p he ig h t , t h e t r e e m eas ur ed 15 inch es ind i a m e t e r . A n o t h e r 6 5 - y e a r o l d p i n e g r o w i n g i n a n u n m a n a g e d s e c t i o n w a s c u td o w n . A t s t u m p h e i g h t , t h i s t r e e ' s d i a m e t e r m e a s u r e d o n ly 6 . 2 i n c h e s . T h ela r ge r s i z e o f t he f i r s t p ine a t t e s t s t o wha t c an be accompl i shed when soundf o r e s t m a n a g e m e n t p r a c t i c e s a r e a p p l i e d i n a t r e e p l a n t a t i o n . M i n n e s o t a F o r e s t s

J A N U A R Y - F E B R U A R Y 1 9 8 6 3 1

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Native Fish for a Home Aquarium.pdf