Introduced Cichlids in local waters

[foxtrot1027]

While fishing in the local golf course canals I keep catching Oscars and other assorted cichlids. Prob seen about 10 different varieties, Also guppies and mollies. Didnt catch one bass. Dont dump your unwanted fish into the lake! However maybe one day I will start a cichlid tank. Can these fish mate with local species, maybe bluegill or something? Just an observation.

[Fruitbat]

You're absolutely right about not dumping exotic fish into local waterways. Florida is widely known for having a problem with that because of the favorable local conditions.

No...cichlids cannot mate with our local centrarchids (like bass and bluegill). I'd be very surprised if guppies could successfully mate with out own native livebearers like Gambusia.

[molotov256]

I didn't know that was such a big problem in florida... I did put a really mean crayfish in the lake behind my apartment once, but thats not connected to any real waterways. Its not really even a lake- more like a man made puddle.

Maybe one day they're be a giant crayfish sitting ontop of my car when I'm going to work in the morning.

At any rate, now I know not to get rid of bad fish that way.

[William]

I wish I could catch an oscar.

I'd take him home and love him, and hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him, and call him George.

[Thaiboxer]

LOL at William. That was good.

[screaminbuckeye]

Here in Ohio there have been a few cases of people catching big firebelly piranahas in rivers. People get them when they are 3 inches and kinda fun but they don't realize how big they get. On top of their size they need warm water to survive... my dad and I found one dead last fall (the first real cold snap) on the river bank where we were fishing.

I'm not sure if Cichlids can breed with local fish but it wouldn't suprise me given their adaptive nature. We have been studying them in my Mol. Gen. class and it's facinating how they have adapted and evolved in such a short amount of time (not to mention it's cool that we are studying something that I happen to have some actual experience with).

[christerrell2k3]

i still wouldnt mind seeing a huge flowerhorn or a red devil in a creek...

[Fruitbat]

Cichlids and Centrarchids (Bass and Sunfish) aren't closely enough related to interbreed so no worries there.

[Christmasfish]

which canals again? Didn't they purposely intorduce some sort of cichlids into the california aquifer canals up in the I-5 corrdor? TO control algae or some such?They make like weird nests in the bottom gravel?
*goes surfin the internet for the date time i think*

[Allivymar]

Personally I would love to find wild Discus. Yep; there was an established colony over in Colorado a while back.

For other invasive/non native species, theres more info here: http://nis.gsmfc.org/nis_alphabetic_list.php and here: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/default.asp . Theres some very strange stuff living out there...

And William? You slay me LOL

[Sati]

Wow, I can't imagine seeing tropical fish in the local stream. That could be devastating to the environment.

The only fish I throw outside are dead fish... I'm a weird hippy girl and I always figure some wildlife might appreciate it as a snack.

[foxtrot1027]

Florida has problems with all sorts of introduced species. The giant marine bufo toad, walking catfish, pythons, etc. Its not like its a veritable zoo but certain areas have had the native populatons decimated. The oscars Ive seen are voracious and in large schools!! As far as the cichlids, I have encountered them for at least twenty years and the canals along the golf course are somewhat isolated which leads me to believe they probably have develpoed into their own little strain. They sorta look like jack dempsey's crossed with some type of malawai lookin fish. Next time ill bring my digital camera and take a few pics. New florida golf course cichlids...Golfus retirus invaderus?

[William]

Originally Posted by Allivymar

And William? You slay me LOL

Originally Posted by foxtrot1027

Golfus retirus invaderus?

You do know that whoever discovers a new species gets to name it, right? Hehe. Look forward to seeing Golfus Retirus in cichlid books in five years

[AdamsZoological]

Here are just a few examples of negative effects the introduction of non-natived species that had occured in the past.

The Nile Perch, Lates niloticuswas introduced as a game fish into Lake Victoria, and since its introduction has elmiated over 90% of all the lake's native cichlid species. Species are now extinct, due to its introduction.

Tilapia rendalli introduced into Australian water,
Has driven over 20 species of native fish into extinction, and dozens others are threatened due to not being able to compete with the Tilapia for food, and also from predation by it

A species of snakhead were introduced into a couple lakes in the US (maryland if I remember correctly) a few years ago, and in the few months until they were captured, they had consumed literally thousands of small native fish, if they werent captured, they would have seriously threatened dozens of species. This has also lead to an outright ban on this species in the US.

[QTOFFER]

Originally Posted by William

foxtrot1027 wrote:

Golfus retirus invaderus?


You do know that whoever discovers a new species gets to name it, right? Hehe. Look forward to seeing Golfus Retirus in cichlid books in five years

Sorry, guys, that name is already taken - on Long Island, NY we call them Canadian geese.

[Sati]

Northern Snakehead

Ewww....