F15hguy Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 well went for a peek around the Main Road bridge of the Aongatete river after a rumour of Triops in the weeds. what a stunning little river. realised just as I pulled in that I had forgotten my camera which was a shame. Unfortunately no Triops this time round (will try a couple more times until I find them, maybe they are seasonal.) but HEAPS of freshwater shrimp and freshrun Whitebait. (most seemed to be the longer bodied inanga, bbut where too quick for me and my tiny net) Also caught 6 of the most stunning bullies I have seen, I think they were just common Bullies (due to head shape and a little bit of patterning), but they were bright reds and yellows. all were about 6-7cm long, I really want to do a decent Bully tank now. Well I'll remember the camera next time, was limited to only 25 mins of poking around due to SWMBO, but hopefully next time I will be on my own and will have time to try down by the old highway bridge, where there is heaps of over hanging plants and a couple of weed beds. also had a poke around in the creek in the Bayfair golf course, losta gambusia, a few inanga and a couple of eels, no shrimp as of yet. I think I saw a couple of bullies so will have to do a more intensive search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 oh, also a population of freshwater mussels in the Aongatete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 cool, not redfin bully? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 that sort of brightness, but more yellow, and not as much red in the fins, more on the body and all over face , plus had a flatter looking head, but the facial markings were very similar. that but with bright red and yellows. I used http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=58471 as my reference. next time your over we'll go check out that stream??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Could be either common or cran's male by the sounds. Was the head quite long (common) or blunt (Cran's), were the face markings blotches (Cran's) or 'cats whiskers' (common)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 then definitely a commons, the longer flat head was quite noticeable. I didn't think the crans were around here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 It looks like that some have been ID'd from over there: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 well I guess you may have to come look for your self..... make sure you let me know. when Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 does the south island not get any of these fish? I have noticed recently when there has been a map showing where they are there isnt a south island part. is there a reason behind this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 what's the south island? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 its a foreign country that takes good care of a large amount of our sheep, and has minimal JAFA population. p.s. Crans bullies are non migratory so are only found in the north island, but As I was told the other day due to their non migatory habit they got seriously affected by the Taupo eruption (obvious if you look at the map) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 It is where your subsidises electricity comes from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 i'm pretty sure it not that subsidized with the price of it atm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 what's the south island? The real NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 what's the south island? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 The real NZ. YES!!! :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I thought the REAL NZ was anywhere that wasn't Auckland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 There's more to our country than Auckland ?!? Why weren't we told ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Orks can't see over them thar hills. Not real hills, just pretend ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Bright reds and yellows.... I don't think I have ever seen a common bully that has anything that could pass for red markings. Cran's bullies can get good reddish markings. I used to feel confident on Cran's/common bully identification, but it seems the variety in Cran's is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE. I saw a tank of them where they ranged from classic Cran's to what totally looked like a standard common. One trick for telling them apart is to look *very* closely at the top of the head. Bullies have sensory cells set in pores and/or canals around their heads. Typically non-diadromous bullies *do not* have open pores, while diadromous ones do. The confusing part is that non-diadromous populations of common bullies (normally diadromous) lose the pores over time, so some have random numbers of pores. The above picture shows pores and canals on the head of common bullies, ranging from standard-diadromous on the left, to non-diadromous-population-for-a-very-long-time on the right. But also the right image is much the same for Cran's bullies. So, the rule would be, for telling Cran's/commons apart, after checking head shape/pattern: 1. If there are any open pores, it is a common 2. If there are definitely no open pores, it is a Cran's or a common 3. If there are no open pores and it is in a lake, it is most like a common (Cran's don't live in lakes) (I am currently dealing with trying to learn the non-diadromous vulgaris galaxiid complex. I only they were that "easy"! :nilly: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 ...and remember kids: always 'clean, check, dry' between waterways. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/didymo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aotealotl Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 what's the south island? the mainland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlidcentral Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 One trick for telling them apart is to look *very* closely at the top of the head. Bullies have sensory cells set in pores and/or canals around their heads. Typically non-diadromous bullies *do not* have open pores, while diadromous ones do. The confusing part is that non-diadromous populations of common bullies (normally diadromous) lose the pores over time, so some have random numbers of pores. The above picture shows pores and canals on the head of common bullies, ranging from standard-diadromous on the left, to non-diadromous-population-for-a-very-long-time on the right. But also the right image is much the same for Cran's bullies. So, the rule would be, for telling Cran's/commons apart, after checking head shape/pattern: 1. If there are any open pores, it is a common 2. If there are definitely no open pores, it is a Cran's or a common 3. If there are no open pores and it is in a lake, it is most like a common (Cran's don't live in lakes) So out of interest, are these always present on the fish regardless of age? Will a young diadromous common express them or do they grow into them? I also have a population where I suspect there may be diadromous and non-diadromous commons mixing so could be interesting to explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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