museeumchick Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 What natives would you recommend for a beginner fish keeper? I intend to get a koura first (work is busy at the mo, so am still getting there) then once i've got that sorted and running well i'd like to try my hand at a native fish tank, but which native fish? any thoughts is there anything that stands out as 'easier' to keep than the others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Koura eat fish. Just get some Bullies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfreak Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Bullies are pretty easy to keep even with basic filtration . but you will have to keep an eye on the temp you dont want it to get too high tend to keep ours under 13c . like Hans said dont put any fish in with your Koura they will get nailed pretty fast. but freshwater shrimp seem to do ok we have about 20 swimming around with our blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museeumchick Posted September 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 I have heard about the destructive nature of koura so would keep it in its own tank or with shrimp. the fishtank would be separate, a new one (once i think i have enough experience with 1 = allowed to start tank no 2) I have herd that bullies tend to have trouble with whitespot - true? and is this a big deal? or just something easily sorted out/ avoided? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfreak Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Whitespot can be a problem with ones that have just been caught and is also made worse if temperature is a problem or so ive found anyway. whitespot is pretty much always around in the wild and fish under stress are generally going to be the first to be hit. if its a short term display u are looking to set up you may want to borrow some fish from somebody in your area that has already had them for some time. if u cant its not a biggy to treat it as long as you follow the directions given on the medication u choose to use. You would be hard pressed to find any fishkeeper that hasnt experienced whitespot at some time or another so dont stress about it too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museeumchick Posted September 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 sounds good i will be going for a longer term display (i want some as personal/flat pets initially, and the exhibition ones will be needed for at least 4 years) so should sort myself out to get some although first I have to get my Koura sorted (i have a tank, and air line but need to organise a filter and then stuff to go in said tank ie: substrate and occupants). I will get there I just like to have things planned out, so i am ready for fish when it finally happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacher Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Hi museeumchick I can't say I have had problems between my Koura, shrimp and Bullies. Having said that they are all in a pond and have plenty of space to roam. I often see the Koura out at night with the odd shrimp or bully hanging round and the Koura seem very uninterested, possibly they have more than enough to eat that they don't need to hunt. White spot wiped out my first bunch of fish, but I think that was more of a combination of temperature (being mid to late summer) and ignorance. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Hi there, Yes, bullies are great. Really hardy, adjust easily and great characters. Do read up on whitespot, but if you get things right to begin with it shouldn't be a problem. Make sure you are onto it with waterchanges, temperature and plenty of hiding places should they so desire and they will be hopefully fine. I have always had koura in with fish, only had trouble once. I think the male bullies were starting to establish nests and were easier for the cray to pick off. The deeper the tank and the more ground area the easier it is to keep them together. Currently I have a koura in my kokopu tank. There are five kokopu in there and they all spend the day hidden in a pile of rocks with the cray and no one has lost so much as a bit of fin. Every tank is different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfreak Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 hmm interesting that others have luck with fish/koura combos wonder if its a north south thing. come to think of it i did keep northens with my goldies when i was a kid however the one time ive tried down here (chch) i lost 2 canterbury galaxids within 5 mins in a 4ft. needless to say i havent tried that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 interesting idea... How big were they? I find 7cm long is my cut-off point for feeling comfortable having a cray with fish. I am amazed that it could kill two fish in five minutes, or were there two crays? I don't know anything about the canterbury galaxias, but looking at the description I imagine they would hide the moment they were introduced, which would make them easy to corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfreak Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Just the one blue only a we guy too maybe 10cm at the time but yeah was dam fast. Wouldnt be something i would want to experiment with lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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