Wild fish?

[molotov256]

Probably the dumbest question ever, lol...

I've seen some pretty cool looking fish in some ponds in the area. Would I be able to take a few and put them in my tank? What kind of problems would I face by introducing a wild fish into an aquarium?

 

[madasafish]

As a Florida resident, you've got it pretty good. American Flagfish (Jordanella floridae), Mollies (Poecilia sp.) and other aquarium-compatible fish live in your streams and swamps. You'll also find a number of gar species there that may or may not be small enough for your tank, depending on their age. Certainly, you could return them to the wild if they got bigger.

You should be careful about the legality of this. I know that some states do not allow you to remove and keep local flora and fauna...

Other than size and legal issues, you're prob. ok. The temp down there is sufficiently high that you wouldn't need to cool the tank with a chiller.

HTH

 

[molotov256]

Awesome, thanks!

I'll have to give it a shot...

 

[SaltwaterDreams]

Sounds like it would be awesome to have fish out of the wild rather than taking them from the local store, but I would personally be worried about sickness and things. I mean, this is kinda related but not completely... but when I was really young my sister and I had one of thoes back yard pools, the shallow ones that you can fold up end of summer... well my dad came back from a fishing trip with a few live trout. For whatever reason he put one of the trout into the mini pool. Maybe he thought it was funny or maybe he was trying to keep the thing alive a bit longer so it would be super fresh for dinner... whatever the reason, it was a bad thing. My sister went swimming with the pretty fishie and the next day was sicker than a dog.

So, maybe that is only trout.. and true it was a human getting sick from a fish.. but still, I simply would be a bit worried.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

The sickness was probably due to the ammonia and other wastes produced by a fish in a confined space rather than your sister catching a disease directly from the fish. I would be worried about realeasing the fish back into the pond/stream. You should never reintroduce an animal which you have held in captivity due to disease issues with infecting the local population.

 

[madasafish]

Roger's right. However, if you're keeping these fish by themselves, without other imported tropicals, there should be no disease transmission problem... In that case, you should be able to re-introduce them if they get too large.

Don't you agree, Roger?

 

[nick_schembri]

I agree with RogerMcAllen because diseases, wether viral, bacterial or fungal, are very specific to certain species. And it is close to impossible for a human to get a disease directly from a fish.

 

[Kohan Bros.]

Please if u take a fish out of the wild dont try putting it back, cause once they have adjusted to captivity they will have a hard time ajusting back to having to hunt for food instead of just having food placed in front of them.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I do agree that this is a very low chance, but I wouldn't risk it and stick to something like the mollies that you could keep forever.

My only thought was that perhaps parasites could be intorduced through what you fed, even if the system was otherwise completely isolated.

 

[mushroomfarie]

Please don't take fish or any animal from the wild. The animals that are left are having a hard enough time as it is... Pollution, predators, hurricanes, humans and other parasites. Besides the likelihood that they would adjust to life in captivity is unlikely. As A child I tried to keep many wild animals as "Pets". All of them died. I am the same girl who would heal the pigeons and cats after my dad would shoot 'em. If you love the wildlife in your area do them a favor... Leave them alone. Nothing against you but I can think of multiple species that are now extinct due to humans.

 

[Guest]

With all due respect to everyone's opinion that has posted. I'd just like to point out that all domesticated pets, livestock were wild at one time. Things that make you say HUMMM....

 

[krap101]

yeah.... but someone went through all the trouble to domesticat them . and that person sure isnt me

 

[madasafish]

Mushroomfarie, you make a decent point, but come on...

For every fish you get from a fish store, 10 or more die in transit, and in the initial capture. Taking fish from the wild, choosing these over tropicals in a store, means that you might lose that fish, but it doesn't mean that many, many others have to die in the process.

You're right that most children kill the animals they adopt. However, this is usually due to ignorance, forgetfulness, inadequate accomodations and cleanliness and improper diet.

Of course, the best solution of all is to buy from responsible breeders. Nowadays, I buy almost all of my fish this way. My conscience is definitely eased, and my worry about tropical diseases is assuaged.

I'm not endorsing taking endangered species from the wild! Taking mollies (introduced into American waterways in the 20th century) and gars is of little consequence to the ecosystem, and certainly hurts it less than buying the same wild-caught fish from the LFS.

A little bit of downtoearthism.

 

[mushroomfarie]

alright you are talking to the person who prides herself on knowing as much about every livig creature as possible. (in the exception of adult humans. Because adult humans do inhumane things like take animals out of the wild.) I NEVER MISTREATED ANY ANIMAL. Think about it. Would you want to be plucked up and put in a cage. I just think wild aimals should be left wild.

 

[madasafish]

Sure. I agree. But that doesn't address the issue that you have wild-caught fish (plecos, cories) in your tanks. Doesn't this seem contradictory? Also, I could hardly fault a child for taking in animals and having them die because of natural ignorance (a marked feature of children). I'm not trying to accuse you of mistreating them!

I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I'm a vegetarian, former Greenpeace member, liberal, animal lover. Just think through your argument a little more. Which is really the lesser of 2 evils when it comes to choosing where to get your fish??? Getting them from a petstore, or getting them from the wild?

 

[mushroomfarie]

None of my fish are from the wild. They were breed and born in captivity. I happen to check these things at any place I purchase pet supplies. I am sorry I became upset over the implecation that I mistreated something. I just became upset because I do pride myself in the way I do and always have treated animals. I will never own an animal captured out of the wild unless it is a resque that can not be released in the wild. I have never seen any sucsess in domesticating a wild animal. Yes someone had to do it at one point to get the pets we know and love, but no one realises how many of those original pets died in the process.

 

[madasafish]

Nicely put. I appreciate you not blowing up at my response--it might have sounded inflamatory.

I'm glad you have been able to get your fish from breeders. What kind of pleco do you have?

 

[madasafish]

Oh, and more importantly...

Sorry to molotov256 for co-opting your topic with my argument. Do you have any follow-up questions?

 

[mushroomfarie]

I am not honstly sure tiwaun plecostamus. I think. He is just a baby. Only about 3 inches. All I know is he is really pretty for a pleco. He's not just black. He also has lighter contrasts too.