does anyone go to the hutt pet centre? in one of their big tanks they have like a crayfish type creature in with fish. its not for sale its the managers. its not a salt water tank, its freshwater tropical. anyone know what it is? where would u get one from?

There are native freshwater crayfish, easily found in streams etc around the place and make great pets.

Bear in mind they are becoming threatened.

Do an archive search and you will find heaps of info on them. Also use the Maori name for them, koura, as a search term.

Very cool critters!

Are you talking about the big blue one? If so it's a fresh water prawn. It belongs to Ben and I think he said that he's going to try breed them when he can find some more.

umm it was kinda blue i think yea, but do freshwater crayfish live in heated tanks?

No, freshwater crays prefer cold water (room temp and preferably well below).

Bear in mind they are becoming threatened.

I'm sorry, WHAT!?

Are they???

That's truely sad.

It could be a prawn...

Macrobrachium Rosenbergi

Giant River prawn/ Malaysian Prawn

The same species that you catch at the Huka Prawn Park in Taupo

http://www.hukaprawnpark.co.nz/

I'm sorry, WHAT!?

Are they???

That's truely sad.

yep, it is getting down to 'name the freshwater critter that ISN'T on the threatened list!

Currently 90% of our freshwater fish are on the list, and it is undergoing an update at the moment, so who know what it will be after that

It creates ethical problems for me and my book. Most of my purpose is to make people aware that these fish exist, encourage them to learn about them and their habitat, and realise that we need to do something NOW about the state of our freshwaters before it is too late. But I want to have the book ethical, so I am not including the rarer species. Better get it published before they are all gone! am editing tonight....

Did you know that 90% of our rivers are not reliably safe to swim in? WHY IS THERE NO PUBLIC OUTCRY?! This is our WATER! And yet dairy farm intensification continues. Point source discharge continues. Stock are still allowed to enter streams. :evil:

Did you know that 90% of our rivers are not reliably safe to swim in? WHY IS THERE NO PUBLIC OUTCRY?! This is our WATER! And yet dairy farm intensification continues. Point source discharge continues. Stock are still allowed to enter streams. :evil:

Probably because for 99% of people the condition and inhabitants of waterways does not provide entertainment, money or interest beyond, "oh, that's nice."

Yeah. NZ fish and other aquatic life being rather dull and inconspicious means that they don't attract attention to themselves. Good against predators but humans don't care for them. If the fish was a pretty as the tropical species then people would probably care more, but they're not.

Yeah. NZ fish and other aquatic life being rather dull and inconspicious means that they don't attract attention to themselves. Good against predators but humans don't care for them. If the fish was a pretty as the tropical species then people would probably care more, but they're not.

Have you never really seen NZ Native fish up close and personel??

Ok so they may not be bright yellow or have huge fins on them, but I can assure you that they are as interesting if not more than alot of the exotic stuff.

Yeah, these guys are amazing up close!

Kiwi are pretty dull and inconspicious... Tuatara barely move and blend in perfectly.

Unfortunately most public displays (of which there are very few) do not show them in natural-looking habitat or use terrible lighting so the fish DO look dull and boring. When done well they are amazing to watch.

Bring on mid-January when we open The Coolest Native Aquarium Ever at the National Trout Centre in Turangi!! There will be at least seven huge dedicated natives tanks, showing different habitat types and including most of the species and all the families in the North Island. I am their fish geek so it will be awesome

Not going to give away too much here, but will keep you posted as it nears completion. :bounce:

I love New Zealands fish and waterways. Anytime we go to a river or lake I'm always on the lookout for eels or trout or crayfish, even little bullies. Theres just something cool about seeing a fish in its natural habitat.

Hey! I'm not dissing (disrespecting) NZ aquatic life, I'm just saying they blend in very well and aren't noticed. I too always look out for fish, plants and other things in the stream but most others don't. Good point Stella, all the displays I've seen are usless, further borifying (that's not a word is it?) the people who look at them.

I love New Zealands fish and waterways. Anytime we go to a river or lake I'm always on the lookout for eels or trout or crayfish, even little bullies. Theres just something cool about seeing a fish in its natural habitat.

That's not trout's natural habitat, they're an introduced noxious pest.

thanks so its a prawn - a blue one. where do you get them?

That's not trout's natural habitat, they're an introduced noxious pest.

Well I didn't actually know that trout weren't native. But even so, I meant natural as opposed to in someone's tank.

Last guy I was talking to about people thinking that trout were native and not knowing fish any that are....

He thought for a while and sounding very pleased with himself said "carp!"

:roll:

he thought again...... "...perch?"

:roll:

We wound up having a discussion about eels (which he had heard of but people tend not to think of them as bona fide fish).

where do u get these prawns???

awww that sux aye i wanted one haha