Exploring the beauty of australian natives

[julia]

Hi TFF,

I was out at the creek the other day, doing some 'recreational' fishing with nets, and stumbled upon some fish I'd never seen before. The creek's been bone dry for ages, but a recent storm filled it up, and I'm wondering if that's why these fish showed up. I'm pretty sure I caught some smelts, given their bright orange colour and body shape, but I'm also thinking I might've caught some juvenile rainbows. Anyone have any pics of young rainbow fish to confirm? They had the right body shape and black-edged fins, but were pretty small, which is why I'm thinking they're young.

Thanks in advance!

[graye]

Your freshwater fish are a real treasure trove. I've been looking into some possibilities for the ones you caught, and I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. If I lived in Australia, I'm not sure I'd ever need to buy fish again.

I think you might want to check out Melanotaenia splendida and Rhadinocentrus ornatus - they're both pretty cool fish. I'm sitting here in the middle of a snowstorm, so the idea of catching fish like that in a creek is especially appealing. My knowledge of Australian geography isn't great, but Queensland seems like a huge and diverse place, and I'm sure there are plenty of other possibilities.

Australian and New Guinea rainbows are definitely some of the most interesting fish to keep. There's a great website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea - rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au - it's run by the Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae group, and it's a fantastic resource.

[Lollies]

Your freshwater fish are a real treasure trove. I've been looking into some possibilities for the ones you caught, and I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. If I lived in Australia, I'm not sure I'd ever need to buy fish again.

I think you might want to check out Melanotaenia splendida and Rhadinocentrus ornatus - they're both pretty cool fish. I'm sitting here in the middle of a snowstorm, so the idea of catching fish like that in a creek is especially appealing. My knowledge of Australian geography isn't great, but Queensland seems like a huge and diverse place, and I'm sure there are plenty of other possibilities.

Australian and New Guinea rainbows are definitely some of the most interesting fish to keep. There's a great website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea - rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au - it's run by the Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae group, and it's a fantastic resource.

After our first snow on October 30, I'm craving some sunshine. I've been wondering, is it legal to collect native fish in Australia? I know in my part of the US, only certain species are permitted - mostly small and invasive ones like Gambusia sp. Down south, I imagine it's a different story entirely, with more exotic species present. In my area, we only have a couple of native species, like Lepomis humilis and the Banded Topminnow, which doesn't even inhabit most of its range.

[graye]

I've had the chance to look into Australia's native fish scene, and I've come across a fantastic group called ANGFA - they're all about promoting the conservation and study of native fish. What struck me was how open and knowledgeable they are, with a great balance of science and hobbyist perspectives. I even joined briefly to get my hands on their journal, which had some really interesting articles.

In Canada, it's a bit more complicated - regulations vary from province to province. For me, all I need is a sport fishing licence to catch the local killies, but in other provinces, there are stricter rules. I used to live in a province with some beautiful darters, but collecting them was heavily restricted. I'm not entirely sure what the rules are like in Australia, but from what I've seen, they seem reasonable.

Here, the local fish rely on winter for their breeding cycle, and aquariums don't exactly mix well with freezing temperatures. As a result, I don't keep native fish. However, if I were in Australia, I think I would - there's something about having those beautiful fish right in your own backyard. The Melanotaenia duboulayi is one of my favourites, but unfortunately, they seem to be prone to tuberculosis in captivity. I can only imagine how amazing it must be to have them swimming in your local creeks. At least I don't have to worry about saltwater crocodiles or polar bears where I live - just the cold.

[julia]

I'll see if I can scrounge up some pics from the person I went with, should be able to upload them soon. The smelt's vibrant orange-red colouration was really something, and that distinctive black dot near the tail made them resemble oversized rasboras.

I just looked into the fish you mentioned, and I'm pretty sure that's what I caught - Melanotaenia duboulayi. The ones I had were smaller, with the same spot and everything, but I figured that was some kind of disease or stress marking. It's a shame to hear your specimens didn't make it due to TB. I've always been drawn to the idea of setting up a native biotope, maybe one day I'll make it happen with some wild creek specimens. Luckily, I'm allowed to collect from certain creeks, as long as it's not a protected area like a national park.

[Giggletons]

Your freshwater fish are a real treasure trove. I've been looking into some possibilities for the ones you caught, and I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. If I lived in Australia, I'm not sure I'd ever need to buy fish again.

I think you might want to check out Melanotaenia splendida and Rhadinocentrus ornatus - they're both pretty cool fish. I'm sitting here in the middle of a snowstorm, so the idea of catching fish like that in a creek is especially appealing. My knowledge of Australian geography isn't great, but Queensland seems like a huge and diverse place, and I'm sure there are plenty of other possibilities.

Australian and New Guinea rainbows are definitely some of the most interesting fish to keep. There's a great website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea - rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au - it's run by the Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae group, and it's a fantastic resource.

I'm consumed with envy, here in my relatively dull corner of the world, compared to the vibrant aquatic diversity you're surrounded by. Down south, there's a slightly more varied fish scene, but it's still a far cry from what you have access to.

[Lollies]

Your freshwater fish are a real treasure trove. I've been looking into some possibilities for the ones you caught, and I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. If I lived in Australia, I'm not sure I'd ever need to buy fish again.

I think you might want to check out Melanotaenia splendida and Rhadinocentrus ornatus - they're both pretty cool fish. I'm sitting here in the middle of a snowstorm, so the idea of catching fish like that in a creek is especially appealing. My knowledge of Australian geography isn't great, but Queensland seems like a huge and diverse place, and I'm sure there are plenty of other possibilities.

Australian and New Guinea rainbows are definitely some of the most interesting fish to keep. There's a great website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea - rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au - it's run by the Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae group, and it's a fantastic resource.

I'm consumed with envy, here in my relatively dull corner of the world, compared to the vibrant aquatic diversity you're surrounded by. Down south, there's a slightly more varied fish scene, but it's still a far cry from what you have access to.

I'm not faring much better in northwest Iowa, to be honest.

[Giggletons]

Northwest Iowa isn't exactly a fish haven, but I've heard the northeast and southeast parts of the country have a bit more variety. I guess Iowa isn't really considered eastern, though. I'm still pretty envious of those who get to go on wild fish observation trips - that sounds like an amazing experience.

[Lollies]

Your freshwater fish are a real treasure trove. I've been looking into some possibilities for the ones you caught, and I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. If I lived in Australia, I'm not sure I'd ever need to buy fish again.

I think you might want to check out Melanotaenia splendida and Rhadinocentrus ornatus - they're both pretty cool fish. I'm sitting here in the middle of a snowstorm, so the idea of catching fish like that in a creek is especially appealing. My knowledge of Australian geography isn't great, but Queensland seems like a huge and diverse place, and I'm sure there are plenty of other possibilities.

Australian and New Guinea rainbows are definitely some of the most interesting fish to keep. There's a great website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea - rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au - it's run by the Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae group, and it's a fantastic resource.

I'm consumed with envy, here in my relatively dull corner of the world, compared to the vibrant aquatic diversity you're surrounded by. Down south, there's a slightly more varied fish scene, but it's still a far cry from what you have access to.

I think you're right about the northeast having the most fish, but that's the coastal areas - Delaware, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, that kind of thing. Iowa's smack in the middle of the country, Midwest all the way. We're talking corn, cattle, and more corn. But, I did some digging and it turns out the Missouri River, which borders my town and another in Nebraska, is home to some of the largest American Paddlefish populations. And let's not forget the Pallid Sturgeon. Guess we've got something after all.

[Lollies]

Hi TFF,

I was out at the creek the other day, doing some 'recreational' fishing with nets, and stumbled upon some fish I'd never seen before. The creek's been bone dry for ages, but a recent storm filled it up, and I'm wondering if that's why these fish showed up. I'm pretty sure I caught some smelts, given their bright orange colour and body shape, but I'm also thinking I might've caught some juvenile rainbows. Anyone have any pics of young rainbow fish to confirm? They had the right body shape and black-edged fins, but were pretty small, which is why I'm thinking they're young.

Thanks in advance!

That sounds amazing, I'm really intrigued. I remember you mentioning the creek plants before, but this is the first time I've heard about the fish. It seems like a fantastic spot to explore. How far is the creek from your house - is it within walking distance or do you have to drive out to get there?