Tips on keeping NZ natives.

[mac]

Hey guys,

I am wondering waht tips I can get for A keeping them B catching them.

For me Common bullies seem to be the most common. South Canterbury rivers lakes ect.

Also how large a tank?

Cheers,

mac

[Heir]

You'll need a chiller. They like their water COLD.

Catching them is easy, a net + a river. The smaller the river the better

PM Stella she's a wealth of knowledge around natives.

Also try the search function or read back on this part of the forum as there's heaps of info about looking after and catching natives!

:bounce:

[Carlos & Siran]

I've often wondered if you could set up a long shallow tank, put 4 or 5 inches of water in it with a powerful filter head at one end to simulate a fast running stream, with perhaps a deeper hole at each end......maybe a nano style with ferns and smaller native terrestrial plants along the back edge growing up out the top...............................heh, I'll stop dreaming now shall I?

Yep, temp is the hardest bit, I think winters are OK but things quickly turn to custard in summer time without a chiller of some description.

I think you're legally allowed to collect only certain breeds of native fish, common bullies and the like, some of the rarer ones you need a special license for,but yeah, Stella is your best bet.

[mac]

Thanks guys,

So how do you get a cooler? What are they?

[Carlos & Siran]

What do the native marine guys use?, I should Imagine it's expensive, then again I seem to remember LA talking about making one out of a beer fridge.

I once had a conversation with a electronics wizz friend of mine who said he felt it'd be possible to make a chiller for a native tank out of a smaller portable air conditioner....

you a handy man sort??

[Heir]

You get chillers from your LFS

They're not cheap but not super expensive and sometimes they pop up on TM.

[mac]

I am handy. But hat to have anything to do with wires and electrics.

Okay shall look at my LFS and bug him for one.