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I guess it had to happen sometime...


Benny

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inanga.jpg

Inanga = Galaxias maculatus

http://www.nzfreshwater.org/index_wildlife.html

Select Galaxiids

A native of NZ. One of the most common species that make up a "whitebait" catch. I also was taken by suprise when I saw them at Jansens. But I consider them much more interesting then the other coldwater species sold here. Why you would buy them though is beyond me since its a lot of fun catching them yourself. Any unpolluted drain or creek with sea access should hold some. The smaller drains make it easier to catch the adults. If you buy them direct from a whitebaiter on the rivers edge there is the possibilty of getting some other Galaxiidae species as well.

Great fish to have in an aquarium. Mine used to follow my finger around the glass to the extent of jumping out of the water in a row one after the other when I went above the water level. Will take flake food but love mozzies. Hardy fish which aren't too particular about water chemistry.

You need a lid on the tank otherwise you will start to wonder why the cat sleeps under the aquarium! Heard some splashing one night to discover the end of an Inagna's tail poking out of a Giant Bully's mouth. Pulled it out and it lived happily for another year despite loosing a pelvic fin. Another I over feed and gave it a hernia. Not the most pleasent sight in a see through fish :oops:

If you have a coldwater tank give them a go. Along with the bullies, torrent fish, smelts etc a native tank can be just as interesting and colourfull as a tropical (check out the male Redfinned bully).

Cheers

Shilo (who can't stand the thought of eating whitebait now!)

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They can get up to 17cm but normally adults are <10cm (BIG fritters :P ) Meant to only live a year but I had mine for at least 2 years. Probably because they never spawned in the tank. They spawn in river estuaries during spring tides amongst the flooded grass. Eggs survive for 2 weeks before the next tide reaches them. This is the reason why whitebait catches aren't as good as they used to be, cows and other livestock trample and munch up the eggs on the river margins. Fish and Game NZ is putting huge pressure on farmers to fence of river and estuary margins. This should help. Over fishing is only a small cause.

Yeap, I still love the little fritters :oops: I mean critters Seriously eating one would be like grabbing your favorite fish from the tank and frying it up.

Cheers

Shilo

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  • 4 weeks later...

These minnows are so cool! Went and got another today alas...

I thought his eye looked a little different from the others when I saw him swimming around at the LFS, but he didn't look otherwise diseased. Anyways, took a stroll around the place and then went back to that particular tank with the attendant. Don't know where my brain was at the time but I just told him to pick me a smaller one which he promptly did. It ended up being the one with the problematic eye, something I discovered once I got home. His other eye is fine.

The pupil looks much smaller than normal, almost like it's been divided in 2. Difficult to describe as usual unless u see it. Anyways, he sems to be doing well. I've been observing him for the past 4.5 hours that he's been with me. I'm not sure what to do though. Should I take him back to the store? The area surrounding the eye is not inflamed or anything, nor does the actual eye seem cloudy. It is definitely a deformity though. I guess it can serve to differentiate him from the other one since they are a spitting image of each other in colouration and size. If it is mechanical damage, then I will just keep him. I will try to nurse whatever is treatable. What I am concerned about is if he is diseased. I don't think I could cope with a fatality right now. There's no good timing for such things, but it would be especially rotten for me now. Bleh, decisions...

DuMotel

DuMotel

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