Keeping wild fish in aquariums

[crossover]

Soon I'll be getting a larger aquarium, probably a 55 gallon. I've always been fascinated with the fish species in Ontario, and was wondering if it was legal to keep them in an aquarium? Bluegill have beautiful colouring, but I was thinking more of raising a bullhead (you can catch huge amounts of tiny ones at centennial, so many dead ones lying around from pissed off carp fishermen), but according to aquariumwiki it needs atleast a 90 gallon.

[toca]

those idiots

[hammercarp]

I don't know what the current laws are but I kept some bullheads in a 35 gal. I caught them in a small creek and they were about 3-4 inches long. They eat like pigs and they grow like weeds. In about a year they were over 10" long. There were 4 of them and I fed them beef heart. Commercial fish food was too costly to feed them. I would use the cheap frozen shrimp now a days.

And yes even guys that are fishing for carp can be s. We see stupid behavior in Hamilton at the Desjardin canal in front of the fish trap every spring.

[wallyboss]

I think that it is illegal. Not supposed to possess live fish except in your livewell while on the water. A live fish in your livewell and teh baot is on the trailer is illegal.

[Fishnwire]

While I have to admit I don't know much about the actual legalities involved, I do have experience keeping wild fish in aquariums.

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I had about a half dozen small sunfish and perch in a 55 gallon. The first thing you need to know is that in an aquarium under fluorescent lights, both the sunfish and the perch were practically colourless. They always appeared "washed out", never displaying bright colours or even well defined markings. They just looked "blah". Nothing like how they look top-side in the sun. Understand that before you proceed.

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The other thing is they are a little boring. They don't move around in an interesting way or interact with each other at all. My buddy had a handful of very small (3-5 inch) crappie he over-wintered one year. They were the "boringest" fish I ever saw kept. They just stayed in a loose school all day in one corner of the tank. Zero personality. He let them go in the spring.

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Another problem you're going to experience is they are "messy" like you wouldn't believe. I'm not sure what tropicals you have experience with, but most native fish you are going to keep are bigger and grow faster than the average tropical. You need a lot of filtration and you'll be siphoning matter from the bottom of the tank every couple of days, if you don't want to look at piles of it.

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That said, there are still native species I'd like to try keeping. I read a blurb in In-Fisherman about a decade ago that was about certain states having the right to sell muskie fry intended for the home aquarium market. That would be pretty cool. I've also always wanted to put a dozen or so one inch small mouth bass fry into a heavily structured tank about 90 gallons or so. I sold all my tanks and got rid of all my equipment a couple years ago. There are times when I really miss the hobby and consider getting back into it. My wife would prefer I didn't. What do you think will happen?

[Fishnwire]

BTW...if you are in the market for a new aquarium...check out Kijiji. There are always lots of guys getting out of the hobby and wanting rid of their space-sucking tanks. I've seen 100 gallon tanks with Oak stands, good lights and top-notch filters for $500. I wouldn't be surprised if a new 55 gallon kit with a plain metal stand from Big Al's is going to cost that much.

[hammercarp]

I think that it is illegal. Not supposed to possess live fish except in your livewell while on the water. A live fish in your livewell and teh baot is on the trailer is illegal.

People use keepnets and cages to keep fish in while fishing from the shore. This is not illegal.

[BUSTER]

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165364.html

[wallyboss]

Thanks Buster

 

Transporting Sport Fish in Ontario

 

 

It is contrary to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to stock or transport live sport fish without a permit.

 

 

The cage in the water where you are fishing is not "transporting" It is considered your livewell while you are fishing. If you want to put the fish in an aquarium you would have to transport them.

Edited January 6, 2011 by wallyboss

[hammercarp]

There seems to be a distinction between sport fish and coarse fish in the regs. Are bullhead sport fish or coarse fish?

[jimmer]

After years of having an aquarium, I would go along with the post that those fish are very boring. Go with African Chiclids, you will be much more pleased with the clours and personalities of the fish.

If you decide to go with wild native fish, just don't tell anyone and there won't be a problem. Yes, there are laws in place for transporting fish, so don't put them in another body of water when you tire of them.

Just my thoughts.

[craigdritchie]

This seems to be a grey area, and my gut sense is that if you ask three different conservation officers, you will likely get three different answers.

 

The formal Ontario fishing regulations stipulate that you cannot transport live game fish. So the question is, what is and what is not a 'game' fish? By MNR's own definition, 'game fish' does not include most coarse species (like bullheads) or panfish (like bluegills). Those, it would seem, can be transported alive without any problem (just like various live minnows).

 

Having said that, I've kept different kinds of fish in a tank and was told by MNR that was not a problem providing I considered my captive fish as part of my daily bag limit. I got that in writing and kept the letter as insurance, since I was a full-time outdoor writer at the time and didn't need any kind of fishery violation on my hands. If you're worried about it, write a letter to the MNR district office and see what they mail you back.

 

Most entertaining wild fish I ever kept was a rock bass. They're completely psychotic.

Edited January 6, 2011 by Craig_Ritchie

[frozen-fire]

Never EVER release fish you have kept in an aquarium back into the wild.

You can potentially introduce viruses/diseases into our natural systems.

[Victor]

Great topic and some really good informative replies as well.

 

I have also been thinking of restarting my fish-keeping hobby and this certainly helps.

[GBW]

[Joey]

I think you should get a tame fish instead, they're much more manageable, better temperment

Edited January 6, 2011 by Joey

[Chance]

Aquariums tend to be breeding grounds for bacterial infections etc....Wild fish are introduced to issues they do not see in the wild.Stress plays a huge role,part of the reason you do not see their natural colours.Once stressed they become susceptible to disease.

[frozen-fire]

 

LOL pinchy

[crossover]

Thanks for the replies guys, a couple of things:

 

I've heard that transporting live sport fish is illegal. How about when someone takes one of those cages where they keep their limit, and put it in the back of the car without killing the fish? Technically these fish are still live, and a couple would be able to make it if you were to release them in another, nearby water body.

 

@fishnwire: I've seen videos on youtube of people hand feeding blue gill, those guys are crazy. Maybe keeping a species only tank would stress the fish out less, and they might be more active. I'm thinking of perhaps trying with local chub/sucker, seeing if they'll survive in the water parameters, and then moving up. And I've also checked out kjiji last night, tons of great deals.

 

I wonder if these fish would eat the shrimp from my shrimp tank.

Edited January 6, 2011 by crossover

[crossover]

I also find that when blue gills lose their colour, they look a lot like piranhas.

[danbouck]

I had some BUT... my smallmouth ate the perch, my largemouth ate the sunfish and the smallmouth, the pike ate the largemouth, then choked on the rock bass.

[jedimaster]

Its against the law to transport a live game fish. Our science teacher in highschool got charged by the MnR, right in our class when I was in school. We had a big fish tank with rockbass and pan fish from a local pond we caught. I believe if you want to keep them you need a permit and must be inspected by the MnR. Of course if noone finds out I guess you can do whatever you want. I have seen videos on you tube of a guy with a baby musky in a fish tank. that doesn't make it legal though.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsBr_RID18U

Edited January 6, 2011 by jedimaster

[GBW]

I had some BUT... my smallmouth ate the perch, my largemouth ate the sunfish and the smallmouth, the pike ate the largemouth, then choked on the rock bass.

did you feed them flies? that may be why...

[spinnerbaitking]

Don't blink when you feed them

SBK

[John Bacon]

Thanks for the replies guys, a couple of things:

 

I've heard that transporting live sport fish is illegal. How about when someone takes one of those cages where they keep their limit, and put it in the back of the car without killing the fish? Technically these fish are still live, and a couple would be able to make it if you were to release them in another, nearby water body.

 

Technically they are breaking the law by transporting a live sport fish. I think that it is unlikely that a CO would press charges if the fish wasn't being kept in water; but you never know. Transporting any species that can legally be used for bait (ie suckers) may be okay. Keep in mind that there are limits to how many bait fish that you can possess.