Stella Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 So exciting, I have wanted a torrentfish for so long!! Never seen one before now, but they look fascinating in the books. They are a native fish and are not found anywhere else. The only freshwater member of the blue cod family. They commonly get to 10-12cm but are known to around 15cm. They live in open-bedded, braided, gravel rivers in the swift torrents and riffles. They are actually quite common but because of where they live you tend not to see them until they are in a net. My friends and I found these in the Ohau River on Friday. The river was so alive, so many species of fish and invertebrate! I came back with four torrentfish (6-10cm-ish), one 13cm dead torrentfish now in ethanol (it was found dying), two female redfin bullies, two shrimp (one is 'pregnant) and a 20cm eel (temporarily). We caught many more fish and a couple of other species. They all have this pattern of three stripes at the back and one going the other way over the eyes. They are quite timid at the moment, I understand they take a little while to settle into captivity. Even so they will still probably spend a lit of time sheltering under rocks from the current. The bullies I got at the same time seem quite relaxed, they settle so quickly. Yes there is actually a fish here! Its eye is slightly to the left of the centre of this photo. They are so well camouflaged, and simply pretend to be rocks when nervous. They can sit perfectly still for an incredibly long time. They swim a lot like the bristlenoses. Quite startlingly so actually! They eat invertebrates that move around over the rocks. I will be feeding them frozen bloodworm and whatever live food I can get my hands on. To keep these guys you need a lot of current, rocky hiding places and the dedication to keep the water cold. Large versions of these photos, a couple of other torrentfish ones can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/nznativefish/Torrentfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coelacanth Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 I love torrentfish. Newly-caught ones are really susceptible to white-spot and fungus, so watch them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Cool, thanks for the tip! I imagine it would be hard to spot that on these guys, being so grey and hard to focus on. I noticed the redfin in there had a small patch of fungus when I got her home. I gave her a salt dip and put some salt in the tank. It is looking much better today, nearly gone. I may add a little more, torrentfish can handle their salt. What natives did/do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 What temps you got them at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 20 degrees at the moment, should be lower. Will be easier to do that when I have some proper lids and can have fans on them. Currently using ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Nice fish Stella, Well done Hope things go well for you. Don't forget to keep us updated on your progress and eventually breeding :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi Wok, Given that they actually have no idea how torrentfish breed, except that they have a marine stage and the juveniles return with the whitebait.... I doubt that they will be breeding...! Just did a really gentle drain-and-fill waterchange and given them some bloodworm. The big one is out and looking unimpressed and the others are poking out now and then. I am trying to keep still and not scare them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Ahhh cute, I love torrentfish. Their colouring is cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Their colouring is cool. hehehe, I had recieved some hassling that I just had lots of plain brown fish. Now I can say that I have grey fish too! They are gradually getting a little more active. They are out a bit more tonight and chasing each other a little. They still rock :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 They are gradually getting a little more active. Torrentfish tend to do that after a while, once the seeders/leechers ratio improves. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.PROPHECY Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 there cool az , i usta keep a few natives ay! i think i still got some in my goldfish pond actuly :lol: kinda makes me wana get back into them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I would love to hear from people who have had them before about what they are like in the aquarium, behaviour etc Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Well the torrentfish have got ich (whitespot). I noticed it pretty early on, but now one day on I can see sooo many more now large enough to be seen. I have them in a 0.3% solution of salt, which seems to be the most recommended one for treating ich. It works out at 3g per litre, or 1/2 tsp per litre. I have always found it hard to find something fixed like that for using salt (usually it is 'use a whole lot') and now I have all the info so I can add it to my book, so it is not all a bad thing. Still I wish they hadn't got it. The two little redfins I caught with the torries haven't got it. Bullies are just so sweet at adjusting! They behave normally within the first few hours. Also I got a 300lt/hr pump off trademe. It is tiny and hidden between a couple of rocks. The torries are most impressed, though I think it should be 3000lt/hr: they are inclined to wedge themselves between the rocks as close to the outlet as possible and VIBRATE in the flow! :lol: I am going to get a 550lt/hr one to use in conjunction with the 300lt one. I think they will approve of 850lt/hr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Well the torrentfish have got ich (whitespot). I noticed it pretty early on, but now one day on I can see sooo many more now large enough to be seen. I have them in a 0.3% solution of salt, which seems to be the most recommended one for treating ich. It works out at 3g per litre, or 1/2 tsp per litre. I have always found it hard to find something fixed like that for using salt (usually it is 'use a whole lot') and now I have all the info so I can add it to my book, so it is not all a bad thing. Still I wish they hadn't got it. The two little redfins I caught with the torries haven't got it. Bullies are just so sweet at adjusting! They behave normally within the first few hours. Also I got a 300lt/hr pump off trademe. It is tiny and hidden between a couple of rocks. The torries are most impressed, though I think it should be 3000lt/hr: they are inclined to wedge themselves between the rocks as close to the outlet as possible and VIBRATE in the flow! :lol: I am going to get a 550lt/hr one to use in conjunction with the 300lt one. I think they will approve of 850lt/hr! What size tank are they in? You could get a big pond pump, put it in one of the back corners pointing the length of the tank and it will get the whole tank swirling around. They'd probably like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 I wonder if with the natives a uv sterilizer would be good for whitespot?it seems to be the bane of the natives.I remember I got some bandeds for the napier aquarium years ago and they got smothered with it in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 hehehe, I had recieved some hassling that I just had lots of plain brown fish. Now I can say that I have grey fish too! Hi Stella. The book I have on natives , Freshwater Fishes of New Zealand by R.M. McDowall , has a pic....."...showing rich red tonings that are occasionally seen" end quote. It looks gorgeous. You probably already know this.....Scientific name = Cheimarrichthys fosteri. Maori name = Papanoko Good luck with the whitespot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Hi Mark, I went through all my McDowall books to find that reference, then i realised it was a photograph caption on the book with that exact title... He has written (in chronological order... I am having a geek day!) New Zealand Freshwater Fishes (a natural history and guide) (the reed feild guide to) New Zealand Freshwater Fishes Freshwater Fishes of New Zealand (reed nz nature series) He doesn't make it easy!! Interesting about the red colour, I hadn't noticed that bit, though the other books refer to an orangey-ness. My extremely limited practical experience suggested that small fish were dark and light fish pale, but undeniably grey. I have named them after their scientific and common names.... Hmm, I think they might have re-organised them... according to the first book the family is Mugiloididae, but according to the second book they are Pingupedidae.... Google confirms this. I was going to call one Mugiloid, but maybe it shall now be Pingu.... I don't know that I could bring myself to call one Pingu!! Anyway, for obvious reasons the other three are Cheimarr, Foster and Torrie. I am yet to have a way to tell them apart. Maybe the deceased one in the jar of ethanol shall be Mugiloid! Being expired and all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Maybe the deceased one in the jar of ethanol shall be Mugiloid! Being expired and all! I like the logic you use to name your fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Hi Repto, I don't know anything about UV sterilisers, though I assume they sterilise using UV? Whitespot is a big problem for natives, but I don't think I have ever had a spontaneous case. It usually affects recently-captured fish, the stress of adjusting makes them vulnerable. I have rarely had a problem with it, but most of the fish I have taken into captivity myself have been bullies, and they are just so cruisy. Though the temperatures must be watched very carefully on any native, too warm can make them vulnerable to whitespot and fungus. This is the first health issue I have had with the fish in a very long time. Hopefully I caught it early enough, but they will look a mess for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 I like naming things.... not all my fish have names, some I can't tell apart yet, but so far I have: Ian the Inanga Ronnie and Reggie Cray(fish), names after the infamous Kray brothers Crawford the Crayfish Rufus and the newly arrived Ruby Redfin The three bluegills were going to be either different words for blue or names beginning with Bl.... but I kinda forgot to finalise them. I should! I do actually use the names. There are far more without names though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coelacanth Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 I have named them after their scientific and common names.... Hmm, I think they might have re-organised them... according to the first book the family is Mugiloididae, but according to the second book they are Pingupedidae.... Google confirms this. Mugiloididae was a family based on an erroneous placement of the genus Mugiloides. The next oldest available name for the family is Pinguipedidae. At times the torrentfish has also been placed in its own family, Cheimarrichthyidae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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