Earn Cash Rewards For Breeding Native Fish!

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aquariumaddict

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
12
Location
Port St John, Fl
Hi everyone,

Aside from being an avid hobbyist for over 15 years, I'm also an active member of the NFC. One of the moderators was kind enough to allow me to post the following press release that some of you may find interesting.

The Native Fish Conservancy Offers Cash Rewards To Native Fish Breeders!

More than 20 percent of the world’s known 10,000 freshwater fish species have become extinct or imperiled in recent decades. In the United States, 303 fish species, or 37 percent of the freshwater fish fauna, are at risk of extinction; 17 species have already gone extinct, mostly in this century. (Source: Nature Conservancy).

In order to raise people awareness of the plight of our native fish, the NFC has started a grass roots program aimed at the very people who have an interest in fish and fishkeeping.

It is estimated that nearly 26 million Americans have a fish tank in their homes. Many of these people are experienced fishkeepers who have been keeping and breeding fish from such exotic locals as South America, Asia and Africa.

Unfortunately, North America’s fish have gone virtually unnoticed in the fish keeping hobby. “The fact that our native fish are so underappreciated has allowed many of them to slip to the brink of extinction almost unnoticed.” The goal of the NFC’s Breeder’s Award Program is to try and focus the fishkeeping communities’ attention on the amazing fish that North America has to offer. In the process, it is hoped, that more people will become aware of the threats that our native fish are facing and aide in the effort to help conserve one of our most amazing natural resources.

In return for breeding target fish, the participants will be awarded points. These points will be added to their points bank and when they reach a certain level, can be used to buy a cash reward from the BAP store.

“Most fishkeepers keep and breed fish out of their love for the hobby but breeding fish can be both expensive and time consuming. The BAP store is our way of trying to assist successful breeders with maintaining and expanding their breeding setups.”

If you’d like to learn more about the NFC’s Breeder’s Award Program please visit our website at: http://www.nativefish.org or join their free email list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nativefishconservancy/

The Native Fish Conservancy (NFC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, study and preservation of our native fishes and the watersheds they inhabit.

Thanks,
Jon
 
lol those fish are awesome. if i knew about this earlier, maybe i would have bought them. but im afraid they'll eat my molly babies
 
We don't endorse releasing captive fish back into the wild.

The NFC has a trading post for members to trade fish. If you raise the young to adults you can trade them for other fish. This also limits the need to remove them from the wild.
 
I have Jordanella floridae spawning in my 79g tank right now. The male is sucessfully spawning with three females in the same location. Will see how it goes as I figure the other communtiy fish will make quick work of the little guys as they hatch I will keep my eyes open and turkey baster ready.
 
My flagfish are spawning right now too. The male decided to use the box filter as a nest and it's very interesting to see how attentive he is to the eggs.
 
aquariumaddict said:
You need to check out our email list. There was just a huge discussion about the Devil's Hole pupfish and what goes on behind the scenes of the recovery program. There was also a lot of talk in general about breeding endangered fish.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nativefishconservancy/

Jon

Thanks. I know there is a prof at some US uni with a breeding colony, but the gov won't let him distrbute pairs to hobbyist aquarists for captive propogation.....its a bit frustrating.
 
im sure the government doesnt pay him much attention anyway though... because just one of those things that they skim through the first sentence etc etc.
 
aquarium addict- we basically live a few minutes from each other. Do you collect your fish in the Port St. John River? If you do, what species do you keep? I may be interested in keeping/breeding native fish myself.
 
Hi Justin,

Yesterday I was collecting in Mims at 6 mile creek. Here's some pics of a taillight shiner I collected while I was there.
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/fejpgs/unknown2.jpg
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/fejpgs/unknown3.jpg
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/fejpgs/unknown4.jpg

About 3 weeks ago I was collecting on Pluckebaum Rd, in Cocoa. I caught some really nice dollar sunfish.
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/fejpgs/orange_dollar.jpg

You can't tell from the glare but the entire lower half of this fish was orange. About a week ago he dug a huge nest and now I'm hoping I might get a spawn.
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/dollar/dollar_nest2.jpg
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/dollar/male_dollar3.jpg

Here's an avi of him digging his nest.
http://aquariumaddict.tripod.com/avi/digging_dollar.avi

If you want to learn more about natives, try the free NFC email list.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nativefishconservancy/

Maybe we can go collecting sometime.

Jon
 
It depends on what I'm after.

Usually I use either a dipnet, ringnet or castnet. Most of the fish that are suitable for the aquarium are non-game fish and can be collected with a net. For the larger game fish you have to use hook and line.
 
So, Cast nets will work. The fish in the video thats digging a nest...is that a sunfish? I don't know many native freshwater fish because I go offshore fishing.
 
Very interesting article, it makes me want to get one right now. Would a cast net work or should I use a dip net?
 
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