what freshwater fish would you like to see in aquariums?

[Batters]

hey guys, a lilttle about me im keen on both fishing and breeding and keeping aquarium fish. i am currently doing an aquaculture course and basicly i would like to make native aquarium fish more avialable and introduce new species available to the hobby.

so i thought i ask you guys what freshwater native species would you like to be able to purchase from your local aquarium shop. i have some ideas for myself including, saratoga, khaki bream (smaller, sometimes more colourfull cousin of the sooty), coal grunter, yellow ell-tailed catfish, yellow bar-tailed grunter, a few varients of the blue-eyes, as well as spiny crayfish.

i have had some success with the spiny crays but in talks with the dpi as to the sale of these (esp. in Qld), havent tried breeding the others yet but have done plently of research and have breed many non-native species.

basicly trying to gauge what would be of interest as putting time and effort and not even being able to sell fish at production cost would be a little dishartening.

cheers
mick

[Langey]

ive had heaps of natives in my tanks but my next ones gonna be a jungle perch

[STUIE63]

yeah I was thinking jungle perch
Stuie

[Batters]

thanks for the response.

yep jungle perch and jacks were on the list but ive been advised that they would be 10 - 20 times harder than breeding silver perch buy someone who had breed silvers, bass, mulloway as well as bream, whiting, flathead. hence some of the other grunters would make a good start. jungle perch also require saltwater.

if anyone has access to adult coal or tully grunters (khaki bream) i would like to get hold of some.

i think the grunters will be an ideal species due to their size, not growing to large hence you can keep a few together. they should also appeal to the fisherman being somewhat wild, individual and intelligent compared to a goldfish for example.

hmm im thinking of first trialing my breeding on spangled perch as they are both readily avialable and appear to be an "easier species". just worried i will not be able to sell the offspring and it will just end up as a hole in the pocket so to speak.

buy the way spiny crayfish have now hatched, has taken about 5 mounths, great crays to keep and can grow to 2kg+, now its just another wait to see how they raise in aquariums.

cheers
mick

[Langey]

This reflects pricing at the pet shop...Silver perch $3.50...jungle perch $85 saratoga $130 mangrove jack $135 all as fingerlings.5 -7cm...nice mark $$ up after the hatcheries anyway :s

[Batters]

yer price depends on area and individual retailer. have seen silver for round $10, jacks $70 and jungles private but legal from $35, still a good market to get into if you have the space.

[MickInTheMud]

Have you seen the tank at anaconda everton park?

I want that with the toga, bass and yellas and the stripy catty thing lurking aroung the drift wood.

And if my fish ID is wrong i'm sorry but it's a cool tank.

Cheers Mick

[Batters]

thanks for the replys.

prices on jacks and togas are generally very well marked up, they are being breed for stocking, someone buys them from the breeders, sells to a wholesaler, sells to a pet store, then to you, thiers at least one unnesacary link in there. as for the commonly stocked species thiers still a mark up but generally demand is met quite easily so reasonable prices.

heres some pics of the crays ive managed to breed. had lots of losses through the process but its a new species and ive made a few errors myself. plus the game of chance has been against me with the overflow filter from one tank coming loose and shrimps coming down to my raising tank to feed on the babies.

anyway heres some pics of the adults and the babies.
male
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp245/qldmick/PB070052.jpg
female
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp245/qldmick/PB070056.jpg
babies
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp245/qldmick/PA2201172-Copy.jpg
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp245/qldmick/PA220119-Copy.jpg

im onto the fish next. think the khaki grunter, smlilar to the sooty but smaller so better suited to aquariums and theres a few nice colours occouring in wild fish that would be good to breed. need me a supplier from up north i thinks.

anyone caught any piebald salmon-tailed cats? theres meant to be some of them around.

cheers
mick

[Hairy_Harold]

That's my toga many months ago he's a bit bigger now need to move him into my 6ft tank.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/Hairy_Harold/IMG_0201.jpg

[Luc]

Have you considered rainbow fish?

Luc

[Cammy]

Mr Mick, I'd like to see more of the Hephaestus Grunters in Private market only.

Too many Noobs out there that don't take care of Fish....

Cam (Seph) :P