Fishing for aquarium fish

Toddrickfl1

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It’s awesome that you are taking these cichlids out of the waters they don’t belong! I wondered how jags and peacocks would disrupt the naturally balanced food chain in those areas since they are so predatory. Awesome fish to keep but they get so big, I’m surprised that fish stores are still allowed to sell them. I’d imagine you’d see some flower horn as well, since they aren’t nice to each other, eat everything else in the tank and grow so fast/big?!
When you say you try for snake heads, you aren’t referring to pike cichlids are you? I know snake heads are their own breed entirely but some times people confuse the two. (You seem well versed in your fish species however!)
Pike cichlids are another voracious predator who would quickly change the food chain balance! (Although they don’t breed as often/easily and are temperamental with temperature fluctuations like the Salvini).

I think it’s awesome that you’re pulling these out of where they’ve been dumped! The ponds are also amazing! Something I too, would love to do some day! Marine biology was my jam in college ;)
I'm from the same county in Florida and I'm sure he's talking about actual Snakehead fish. They are all over the place down there in the canals.
 

ZEROPILOT

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So sorry that you had to do that. But at least your instincts are working well.
It's a bizarre feeling.
I was being sized up.
I'm a very large man. This was kind of an embarrassment of sorts.
 
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ZEROPILOT

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It’s awesome that you are taking these cichlids out of the waters they don’t belong! I wondered how jags and peacocks would disrupt the naturally balanced food chain in those areas since they are so predatory. Awesome fish to keep but they get so big, I’m surprised that fish stores are still allowed to sell them. I’d imagine you’d see some flower horn as well, since they aren’t nice to each other, eat everything else in the tank and grow so fast/big?!
When you say you try for snake heads, you aren’t referring to pike cichlids are you? I know snake heads are their own breed entirely but some times people confuse the two. (You seem well versed in your fish species however!)
Pike cichlids are another voracious predator who would quickly change the food chain balance! (Although they don’t breed as often/easily and are temperamental with temperature fluctuations like the Salvini).

I think it’s awesome that you’re pulling these out of where they’ve been dumped! The ponds are also amazing! Something I too, would love to do some day! Marine biology was my jam in college ;)
No.
Actual Asian Snakeheads.
They're supposed to be good to eat, also.
 

ZEROPILOT

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It’s awesome that you are taking these cichlids out of the waters they don’t belong! I wondered how jags and peacocks would disrupt the naturally balanced food chain in those areas since they are so predatory. Awesome fish to keep but they get so big, I’m surprised that fish stores are still allowed to sell them. I’d imagine you’d see some flower horn as well, since they aren’t nice to each other, eat everything else in the tank and grow so fast/big?!
When you say you try for snake heads, you aren’t referring to pike cichlids are you? I know snake heads are their own breed entirely but some times people confuse the two. (You seem well versed in your fish species however!)
Pike cichlids are another voracious predator who would quickly change the food chain balance! (Although they don’t breed as often/easily and are temperamental with temperature fluctuations like the Salvini).

I think it’s awesome that you’re pulling these out of where they’ve been dumped! The ponds are also amazing! Something I too, would love to do some day! Marine biology was my jam in college ;)
In most areas of Broward county, you'd be hard pressed to catch a single indigenous fish except largemouth bass.
The most common fishes are Mayan Cichlids in Broward.
A little bit south in Miami Dade county things are even worse for the indigenous fish situation.
But if you drive up just a few hours north. LIke to the Orlando area. That small difference in temperature makes a world of difference.
There are far fewer exotics.
In fact, Northern Florida has almost none.
It's because southern most Florida never gets cold enough to kill these exotic tropicals.
There are larger concentrations the further south you go.
And Florida City is about as far south as you can go to fish in fresh water. It is south Dade county.
After that, its brackish and it gets too salty.
They Keys begin after Florida City.
 

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How do you replicate the water conditions of their habitat? Is the salinity high or low?
No salt.
Slightly alkaline. Alkaline because of the coral bedrock.
There are zillions of Plecostamus in the same waters. They have a ZERO tolerance for salt.
So when you stop seeing them...Its becoming brackish.
The key is that the water can't get below 55 degrees.
I have not yet figured out how to heat twin 1,400 gallons ponds.
I have until December or January to figure that out.
The giant Cichlids are very hardy.
The water quality doesn't need to be particularly wonderful.
They are prone to getting "hole in the head" disease if the water gets very poor. But other than that, they are tough fishes.
 

Ben02

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No salt.
Slightly alkaline. Alkaline because of the coral bedrock.
There are zillions of Plecostamus in the same waters. They have a ZERO tolerance for salt.
So when you stop seeing them...Its becoming brackish.
The key is that the water can't get below 55 degrees.
I have not yet figured out how to heat twin 1,400 gallons ponds.
I have until December or January to figure that out.
Ah yes, water temps also play a big part.
For brackish fish, a refractometer ir hydrometer can come in handy.
 

Markw84

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No salt.

The key is that the water can't get below 55 degrees.
I have not yet figured out how to heat twin 1,400 gallons ponds.
I have until December or January to figure that out.
.

You have a couple of options I would try...

A small pump cycling water through a long, coiled or meandering black hose can really make a difference if you have some sunshine. Where you are, I would think you would get enough even in winter to up temps to overcome the cooling of cloudy days if not more than a few in a row.

The same type setup, but have the hose buried, preferable 3 feet or more deep. Ground temps where you are average 77°. So even in winter, the temperature a few feet underground will be at least 15° warmer than your overnight low.
 
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