Ianab Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 The bullies we caught last week seem ot have settled in well. Eating bits of shrimp and the bloodworms I got for them yesterday. They seem really active, and although the seem to freeze for a few seconds when you walk up to the tank they quickly carry on chasing each other and generally swimming about. They seem to have fattened up a bit with the good food. A couple of videos of the swimming about. I dont have bright lighting on the tank, it seems to suit them bettet, and keep the temperature down. So the videos aren't so great. I was worried that I might have trouble getting them to feed, or the tank might look empty with them hiding under a rock, but that hasn't been the case. They are very lively little fish, allways flitting about or squabling over a rock. If you have a spare tank they are neat little fish. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Nice pic and videos, Ian. I like the Foley work in the first one, and the running commentary in the second! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted December 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Miss almost 2 year old is fascinated with them for some reason. She runs up with a my little torch and wants it turned so she can spotlight them under the rocks. Cool little fish. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Pleased to hear they have settled in so well! Bullies do indeed rock for being so active and *interactive* with each other (as opposed to just swimming around idly). I still am not sure what type you have. I lean towards Cran's, maybe common, definitely not upland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafroglet Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Cool fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 at what size can you tell the difference between types of bullies? recently found a 2cm long bullie would it be possible to distinguish what type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 it depends on the individual fish, and the species. Tiny redfins can be possible to tell, because the stripes on the face can be fairly clear when the fish is small. You can sometimes tell it is a redfin while still in the water. Some small uplands can be easy enough, if the spotting is distinct. Bluegills have quite a different shape so I guess it would be possible (I haven't seen many) Commons, giants, Cran's, some uplands and some redfins would be impossible at that size. A lot of the 'diagnosis' of species is based on location. Like with Ianab's bullies, they were from the Patea river behind the dam, which rules out all strictly diadromous fish (redfins, bluegills, giants), leaving Cran's, uplands and commons. A check of the distribution map tells that all three are present in that area, then you look closer at features.... .... and find in this case they look pretty damned indistinguishable...! :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 where can i find the distribution map? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 http://www.niwa.cri.nz/rc/freshwater/fi ... fishfinder very handy. Each species entry has a map showing where they have been found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks stella where it was its either common, crans, giant or redfin any ideas what he/she is? also sorry for stealing the thread Ianab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted December 11, 2008 Report Share Posted December 11, 2008 Awesome pis there guys. We dont see enough pics of native stuff around. I mean sure we see some great stuff here, but theres buggar all elsewhere in books etc. keep up the good work with pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 11, 2008 Report Share Posted December 11, 2008 hmmmmm, I have deliberated on this long and hard, and I have come to the conclusion that it is a..... bully! Dunno, nothing significantly identifying there. They are ways of telling, but it would require fish anaesthesia and making yourself blind counting fin rays. Pretty cute though, and good photos for such a tiny fish! Cameras can have issue focusing on semi-transparent bodies.... Could be interesting raising it up and finding out what it is. I went to the Kahuterawa stream yesterday, didn't do any fishing or anything, but the shallows were just crawling with non-diadromous bully fry. Very cute. (I think my latest nest of eggs either got eaten or hatched overnight and sucked into the filter... oh well... :oops: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted December 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 So who ate all the Pies (bloodworms) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 looks like a pink bellied bully to me do you get bullies in schools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 hehehe fat fish I would hazard a guess that is is possibly a girl filling with eggs....! my Cran's all look like that at the moment. The main giveaway for me is the enlarged genital papilla (the sticky-outy bit in front of the anal fin). Usually this is fairly small (but still visible) but when they are gravid it gets quite a lot larger. ALso after spawning it can be quite swollen (stretched? ) The males also have this, but it is thinner and pointier. Here is a photo of a tiny upland so full of eggs I thought she a) would pop, and b) resembled a guppy! http://picasaweb.google.com/nznativefis ... 8303789554 Also the swelling is lower down the abdomen. I would expect a little higher up if it was all food. .....of course you may have just seen it eat all the blood worms and get fat instantly.... :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 Livingart, no you don't get bullies in schools, although HaNs says he has seen them schooling when he was snorkeling in Lake Taupo. I don't disbelieve him, but reserve judgment awaiting further evidence... They are very interactive with each other though, constantly 'changing places' with each other and having small chasing games. Neat to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafroglet Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hehe I think it was a reference to an actual school not fish schooling, twas a pun. Anywho, after that little bully has been in my tank now, I want more of them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enzoom1 Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 Livingart, no you don't get bullies in schools, although HaNs says he has seen them schooling when he was snorkeling in Lake Taupo. I don't disbelieve him, but reserve judgment awaiting further evidence... I was at Lake Rotoiti which is next to Lake Taupo the other day and at a fairly unused boat ramp with rocky substrate there were atleast 150 small-large sized bullies. Not sure what type though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted December 13, 2008 Report Share Posted December 13, 2008 sorry stella it was a play on words :oops: :oops: but also a legitimate question as i have only seen a mass schooling once as described in lake taupo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 13, 2008 Report Share Posted December 13, 2008 They might be having their end of year function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted December 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2008 hehehe fat fish .....of course you may have just seen it eat all the blood worms and get fat instantly.... :oops: It's food, it got that fat in about 5min and it's looking hungry again now. It just a greedy littlle fish :lol: Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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