Anybody here keep a planted tank with native fish?

Oliver · 01-17-2004, 09:51 AM

I have an 80 gallon with an 11 inch largemouth, 6inch largemouth, 10 inch redear sunfish, 5inch redear sunfish, 5inch bluegill, and a 10 inch channel cat, along with a couple freshwater clams and 2 apple snails that do a descent job of keeping down the algae. Has anybody who has kept any of these fish kept at least a semi planted tank? I hate plastic plants, but a bare tank is too boring to me. All I have so far is some anarcharis, pretty much afraid to try any other plants from fear of them just dying. I only have 1 power glo bulb for lighting too. Any suggestions from the pros? I look at the pics of your tanks and I'm just amazed at how beautiful they look. Oh yea, I want my fish to be the focas of my room, and I pretty much am looking for plants that aren't high maintenance. Not too interested in co2, but I will do something about the lighting and substrate if necessar. Thanks for helping out a complete plant noob!

Rex Grigg · 01-17-2004, 12:57 PM

First thing I will mention is that your tank is grossly overstocked. Also in many states it's illegal to keep native fish without a permit. You should check into the legality of keeping these fish before you go any further.

Second you need a lot more light to grow any kind of plants in your tank. At a minimum you would need 120-160 watts of light. Once you reach this level of light you are going to notice an algae explosion very quickly. This is due to the fact that I'm betting your nitrate and phosphate levels are though the roof.

Take a minute and read my FAQ.

I have done a little research and it is illegal to keep any native fish in California in a home aquarium.

Nordic · 01-17-2004, 01:17 PM

I kept bluegill before, they make alot of poop.

**Urkevitz** · 01-17-2004, 02:33 PM

Try Hornwort

nativeplanter · 01-17-2004, 05:55 PM

Hi Oliver,

I keep native plants in my tanks, and have just started keeping native fish. I think the combo is fantastic. While everyone is free to do what they want in their tanks, I think native materials really need more attention. Especially when exotics from tanks keep winding up in our waterways. Plus, I think it is a great way to start getting people to understand the nature in the area they live in.

I just acquired "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" by Diana Walstad. It's an excellent book for people who like a little science, and isn't too complicated I think. It advocates an easy way to keep plants in a soil-based aquarium with gravel cover. It also explains nutrients, bacteria, water chemistry, and light very nicely. I must say that my best plant growth is in a soil tank.

Another good book is "American Aquarium Fishes" by Robert Goldstein. It outlines a lot of native species suitable for aquariums, what they eat, and how they breed.

If you haven't already, check out the North American Native Fish Association (www.nanfa.org) and the Native Fish Conservance (www.nativefish.org). I have found their e-mail listserve (and the people who are on it) to be very helpfull (and nice, too!). Those fellows can probably give very good advice on plants that would be good with the fish that you have.

Good luck and have fun! I know I am!

-Laura

Peterstaud · 01-22-2004, 11:48 PM

I've kept Red breast sunfish, rockbass, differant types of suckers, smallmouths, and brown bullheads. They're all nice fish.

Try Ludwigia Repens. Its native to a lot of parts of the US. So is duckweed. Theres a lot of other stuff too.

**scolley** · 04-07-2005, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nativeplanter

Another good book is "American Aquarium Fishes" by Robert Goldstein. It outlines a lot of native species suitable for aquariums, what they eat, and how they breed.

Hey Laura! Thanks for the good info on a book, and of course on the links. Like Oliver, I've very interested in keeping native fish, and you're already responsible for an order to Amazon (yeah!) and an email ofrtwo to people that might be able to help.

Thanks a mil! Hope to be posting some lovely pics of a tank with Bluegills soon. If I'm lucky!

PS - I grew up in Mobile. I can't help but luv the little guys!

AW0L · 04-07-2005, 01:58 AM

i seen many baby blue gills and tilapias turn up with feeder fish quite often at lfs. and i currenty keep 3 types of darters and american flag and sunfish. all of the darters i get, i find at the lfs with the shipment of feeder ghost shrimps and they just toss it in for free when i ask.

fishfry · 04-16-2005, 03:22 AM

I had pumpkinseed sunfish...they were the most parasite ridden fish I have ever seen. They had these nasty anchor worms, along with many other gross parasites. I was never able to fully treat them of their parasites in the 1+ years I had them.

**scolley** · 04-16-2005, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishfry

I had pumpkinseed sunfish...they were the most parasite ridden fish I have ever seen.

Hey that's bad news. How did you acquire the fish?

Beta-5 · 04-16-2005, 05:12 AM

useless without pics! omg! must see catfish !

hoffboy · 04-16-2005, 05:55 PM

I’m interested in keeping fish endemic to my region. I learned recently that apparently the only fish endemic to the state of Washington is the Olympic Mudminnow (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/diversty/soc/...n/mudmxsum.htm) a pretty fish (http://www.nativefish.org/articles/OlympicMudminnow.php) that looks a bit like a killifish. I’ve read that they’re pretty solitary critters and not easy to breed. Needless to say, I take this as a challenge!

01-17-2004, 01:17 PM	#3
Nordic Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cape Town Posts: 696	I kept bluegill before, they make alot of poop. __________________ Cape Town, South Africa 25 Gal. 54watt, DIY CO2 5 Angelfish, 1 male dwarf gourami + 2 females ,2 female betas, 3 albino corys, 2 pepper corys, 2 CAEs 15 gal. Dwarf gourami fry tank 10 Gal 3 variatus platies, 4 black sailfin mollies- 5 Gal guppy birth tank with dividers 5 Gal guppy frytank 1 Gal guppy frytank 40 Gal Pond with 10 female guppies, 1 male tons of fry. On various pieces of furniture, 6 cats!

04-07-2005, 01:58 AM	#8
AW0L Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: LA, California Posts: 294	i seen many baby blue gills and tilapias turn up with feeder fish quite often at lfs. and i currenty keep 3 types of darters and american flag and sunfish. all of the darters i get, i find at the lfs with the shipment of feeder ghost shrimps and they just toss it in for free when i ask. __________________ 125 ga. Pressured co2. T5ho

04-16-2005, 05:12 AM	#11
Beta-5 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Long Beach, California Posts: 16	useless without pics! omg! must see catfish ! __________________ I really really <3 catfish.

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01-17-2004, 09:51 AM	#1
Oliver Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: los angeles Posts: 9	I have an 80 gallon with an 11 inch largemouth, 6inch largemouth, 10 inch redear sunfish, 5inch redear sunfish, 5inch bluegill, and a 10 inch channel cat, along with a couple freshwater clams and 2 apple snails that do a descent job of keeping down the algae. Has anybody who has kept any of these fish kept at least a semi planted tank? I hate plastic plants, but a bare tank is too boring to me. All I have so far is some anarcharis, pretty much afraid to try any other plants from fear of them just dying. I only have 1 power glo bulb for lighting too. Any suggestions from the pros? I look at the pics of your tanks and I'm just amazed at how beautiful they look. Oh yea, I want my fish to be the focas of my room, and I pretty much am looking for plants that aren't high maintenance. Not too interested in co2, but I will do something about the lighting and substrate if necessar. Thanks for helping out a complete plant noob!

01-17-2004, 12:57 PM	#2
Rex Grigg Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (65/100%) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 9,600	First thing I will mention is that your tank is grossly overstocked. Also in many states it's illegal to keep native fish without a permit. You should check into the legality of keeping these fish before you go any further. Second you need a lot more light to grow any kind of plants in your tank. At a minimum you would need 120-160 watts of light. Once you reach this level of light you are going to notice an algae explosion very quickly. This is due to the fact that I'm betting your nitrate and phosphate levels are though the roof. Take a minute and read my FAQ. I have done a little research and it is illegal to keep any native fish in California in a home aquarium.

01-17-2004, 02:33 PM	#4
Urkevitz Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NY Posts: 1,866	Try Hornwort

01-17-2004, 05:55 PM	#5
nativeplanter Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 22	Hi Oliver, I keep native plants in my tanks, and have just started keeping native fish. I think the combo is fantastic. While everyone is free to do what they want in their tanks, I think native materials really need more attention. Especially when exotics from tanks keep winding up in our waterways. Plus, I think it is a great way to start getting people to understand the nature in the area they live in. I just acquired "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" by Diana Walstad. It's an excellent book for people who like a little science, and isn't too complicated I think. It advocates an easy way to keep plants in a soil-based aquarium with gravel cover. It also explains nutrients, bacteria, water chemistry, and light very nicely. I must say that my best plant growth is in a soil tank. Another good book is "American Aquarium Fishes" by Robert Goldstein. It outlines a lot of native species suitable for aquariums, what they eat, and how they breed. If you haven't already, check out the North American Native Fish Association (www.nanfa.org) and the Native Fish Conservance (www.nativefish.org). I have found their e-mail listserve (and the people who are on it) to be very helpfull (and nice, too!). Those fellows can probably give very good advice on plants that would be good with the fish that you have. Good luck and have fun! I know I am! -Laura

01-22-2004, 11:48 PM	#6
Peterstaud Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 45	I've kept Red breast sunfish, rockbass, differant types of suckers, smallmouths, and brown bullheads. They're all nice fish. Try Ludwigia Repens. Its native to a lot of parts of the US. So is duckweed. Theres a lot of other stuff too.

04-16-2005, 03:22 AM	#9
fishfry Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2004 Location: CA Posts: 189	I had pumpkinseed sunfish...they were the most parasite ridden fish I have ever seen. They had these nasty anchor worms, along with many other gross parasites. I was never able to fully treat them of their parasites in the 1+ years I had them.

04-16-2005, 05:55 PM	#12
hoffboy Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 308	I’m interested in keeping fish endemic to my region. I learned recently that apparently the only fish endemic to the state of Washington is the Olympic Mudminnow (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/diversty/soc/...n/mudmxsum.htm) a pretty fish (http://www.nativefish.org/articles/OlympicMudminnow.php) that looks a bit like a killifish. I’ve read that they’re pretty solitary critters and not easy to breed. Needless to say, I take this as a challenge!