Game Fish For Home

[iron]

Does anyone know the laws off hand on tanking bass, and other typical game fish? I think this would be cool, mostly because if the thing outgrows your tanks, you just either 1. eat the sucker or 2. toss him in a nearby waterway.

[yim11]

I wanted to do a 'Texas tank' - have all local fish, I spoke to a GW about this and he reminded me that size and bag limits apply to ALL game fish covered by TXPW. He mentioned I could possibly purchase bass/crappie/cats from local farms but they don't sell just a few fish. If you find a different solution I'd love to hear it.

HTHs,
-jim

[JMatthew]

So what if there are limits. How big of a tank are you planning on filling?

[ayla]

My understanding is that it is technically illegal to take a Texas native species from its natural environment and keep possession of it without a permit. Game fishing licenses allow you to game fish and release the catch or keep it to consume/mount. Keeping it alive is a different thing.

That said, I wouldn't think anyone would actually give you any trouble.

[iron]

I have a friend that owns some stock ponds. Private stock might have different limitations. Also he could sell me some fish, lets say fingerlings, just like the state buys.

[bhughes]

2years ago I caught in a net 3 catfish. when they are fry they travel in a knot. I started them in a 2 1/2 to a 10 so on until they hit the 100g. This took just a year. I released them to the Trinity they were about 16 inches. I was doing water changes and it was still dirty. Make sure of sizes of fish and tanks.

[ilicurtisili]

i have had bass, blue gill, crapi, catfish, etc. all in 1 tank. they all got along fine. i believe its illegal but how is any1 going to know. i believe, if u can catch them and eat them, u should be able to keep them in a tank.
i just went and bought a $20 cast net and caught them out of a local pond.

[kenp83]

i have had bass, blue gill, crapi, catfish, etc. all in 1 tank. they all got along fine. i believe its illegal but how is any1 going to know. i believe, if u can catch them and eat them, u should be able to keep them in a tank.
i just went and bought a $20 cast net and caught them out of a local pond.


What temp did you keep the tank at, and what size did you have them in. i tried blue gill but it didnt work out for too long

[OOwl]

I thought you were NEVER supposed to release fish, even native ones, back to the wild once they lived in home aquaria due to the fact that they could have contracted diseases (from the fish that live in the tank with them or came prior to their addition to the tank) that do not exist in their natural environment and bring that to the at-large native populations. Perhaps this is incorrect but I know I've heard it or read it (maybe both). Surely someone here will know.

[kenp83]

I thought you were NEVER supposed to release fish, even native ones, back to the wild once they lived in home aquaria due to the fact that they could have contracted diseases (from the fish that live in the tank with them or came prior to their addition to the tank) that do not exist in their natural environment and bring that to the at-large native populations. Perhaps this is incorrect but I know I've heard it or read it (maybe both). Surely someone here will know.

Good point

[donkey]

I think the chances are better of a fish from a lake having diseases and causing problems in a tank than tank raised fish contaminating a lake with diseases.Surely the water in your tank is a whole lot better taken care of than the lake.I have tried lake fish in my tank and they really do not have much color and I got bored of them fairly quickly and they eat like pigs.

[ilicurtisili]

i had them in a 75 gallon. the temp stayed around 78-80. i had 2 bass,4in and 6in. 2 bluegill, both 4in. 1 died cause it jumped out. 1 crapi 5in. 1 catfish about 8in. mean as hell but never killed anything. 2 oscars, both 6in. and 2 common plecos around 6in

[bhughes]

[quote=OOwl;176730]I thought you were NEVER supposed to release fish, even native ones, back to the wild once they lived in home aquaria due to the fact that they could have contracted diseases (from the fish that live in the tank with them or came prior to their addition to the tank) that do not exist in their natural environment and bring that to the at-large native populations. Perhaps this is incorrect but I know I've heard it or read it (maybe both). Surely someone here will know.[/quote I never had mine with other fish. Just them.

[cichlidkeeper]

ive kept LM bass, bluegill, and green sunfish. if you can get them from your friend, you wont have to worry about the laws most likely, as you are getting them from private waters. temps above 60 work for them, but they survive cold winters and hot summers, so dont fuss over water temp. they need fairly good sized tanks, a 55 min (although i kept 10 BG and GS in a 15, but they were only about 3-4") contracting diseases that are not native to them(but are common to TROPICALS in your tank) is definitely something to think about. IMHO, keep them by themselves, just natives, they will be happiest and healthiest this way. if you have a private pond, release them there, but not into a public water system....

[etexer]

I have had a TX tank. My 120 gal was set up like that for years. Bass catfish perch gar ect. The long ear perch are really cool looking. Never used a heater just room temp. If you get the fish off private prop (stock tank) then size does not matter and there are no limits. I still cant figure out what the first white color fish was.

[TangTango]

Where did ya get that gar from, exeter?
He's really cool look'n.
I think perch or sunfish, whichever they're call'd, are some good
look'n fish. I don't know why more peeps don't keep em.

I had a "creek" tank set up once.
Everything in the tank came from the creek behind my parents house
in Rockett, TX. I had a few Large Mouth Bass, a few Channel Cat,
about a dozen Texas Shiners, a few Perch, and about 80 freshwater Oysters.
I also had gravel, rocks, and driftwood that came from the creek.

[etexer]

Where did ya get that gar from, exeter?
He's really cool look'n.
I think perch or sunfish, whichever they're call'd, are some good
look'n fish. I don't know why more peeps don't keep em.

I had a "creek" tank set up once.
Everything in the tank came from the creek behind my parents house
in Rockett, TX. I had a few Large Mouth Bass, a few Channel Cat,
about a dozen Texas Shiners, a few Perch, and about 80 freshwater Oysters.
I also had gravel, rocks, and driftwood that came from the creek.




I caught the gar at Van City Lake. Didnt even know they were in there till I caught that one. I really like the long ear perch. My kids call them rainbow fish because of all the bright colors they have. I actually saw some for sale at Petland labeled as texas cichlids one time lol

[Tinyfish]

According to another thread, Andrew H replied:

I believe the only restrictions for keeping game fish in an aquarium are: you have to have a current fishing license, the fish has to meet the minimum limits if any apply, you can't have more fish in all your aquariums which exceed the bag limits if any apply, and the aquarium has to be suitable for a healthy environment. And I believe a game warden has the right to inspect the aquarium.

My own experience:
I can tell you that I have kept these fish both in a backyard pond and in an aquarium. They will live fine at room temperature but cooler works better because cool water holds more oxygen. I used powerheads with the attached air tubes for circulation and oxygen. They do grow pretty quickly within one year.

[TangTango]

...I actually saw some for sale at Petland labeled as texas cichlids one time lol

I've always thought that they look'd like a cichlid.
They do get some pretty colors on them.

[cichlidkeeper]

cichlids and native sunfish are very closely related. that first fish, etexer, is a bluegill. sometimes you can find sunfish mixed in with other fish at pet stores. IMO, green sunfish are one of the prettiest. they max out at 8", google them ;)

[gacericardo]

You should never release fish back into the river or lake. Ever. Thats how invasive species get started. You never know what kind of bacteria they pick up in your tank that could be transfered to the local water systems. Definitely not a good idea

[misplacedsooner]

^^^ding, ding, ding,.. you are very correct in your statement.

[OOwl]

Thanks for making that point. . . I said that and got scoffed at. :rolleyes: I've always been taught that even if you take a fish out of a lake (or the ocean) and it lives for a time in an aquarium that it should never, ever be released back to the wild because it could pick up diseases acquired from other fish that live (or have lived) in the tank and take it back to their native environment. I really hope people read this thread and heed its good advice.

[JMatthew]

Don't disagree - though with the direction some of these African Rift Lakes are going (Victoria especially), returning aquarium fish might eventually be the only means of ensuring the continued existance of these fish.

Of course, I don't mean, "dump your sp. 44s into the Rio Grande." :eek:

[Tinyfish]

So now I am curious at to what species this no release applies to: fish only or everything else?

There are fish designated as extinct in the wild. Would your edict apply to those fish being released in their native habitat as part of a repopulation effort also?

You said NEVER!

[AndrewH]

What temp did you keep the tank at, and what size did you have them in. i tried blue gill but it didnt work out for too long

LOL, if they're native, whatever temp it is outside is fine ;). Native fish are cold water fish :hehe:

They only thing (more important with ponds than in home aquariums) is to keep the surface of the water from freezing solid. You have to have aeration to keep them from suffocating, especially in smaller ponds (as apposed to a stock tank or lake).

I thought you were NEVER supposed to release fish, even native ones, back to the wild once they lived in home aquaria due to the fact that they could have contracted diseases (from the fish that live in the tank with them or came prior to their addition to the tank) that do not exist in their natural environment and bring that to the at-large native populations. Perhaps this is incorrect but I know I've heard it or read it (maybe both). Surely someone here will know.

One of the other problems, especially if you've had the native for a while (since a fry and now they're older, etc.) is the fact that the fish will starve in the wild. It expects the food to be delivered ;).

It's generally recommended (for several good reasons) if you keep native species, keep water, plants, rocks, dirt, etc. from their native habitat as well (preferably from the same water they came out of). This will limit the amount of foreign diseases the fish are exposed to and will make it possible later on to return the fish if you desire. Not to mention it will make the fish feel "more at home" and help keep them calm.

According to another thread, Andrew H replied:

I believe the only restrictions for keeping game fish in an aquarium are: you have to have a current fishing license, the fish has to meet the minimum limits if any apply, you can't have more fish in all your aquariums which exceed the bag limits if any apply, and the aquarium has to be suitable for a healthy environment. And I believe a game warden has the right to inspect the aquarium.

My own experience:
I can tell you that I have kept these fish both in a backyard pond and in an aquarium. They will live fine at room temperature but cooler works better because cool water holds more oxygen. I used powerheads with the attached air tubes for circulation and oxygen. They do grow pretty quickly within one year.

That is correct. The bag and length limits apply, but as long as you have a current fishing license you can legally do almost anything you want with the fish (except use them as bait ;)). But like tinyfish said, if you keep native species the Game Warden has the right to inspect the enviornment at any time to make sure the fish are not being abused/neglected.

So now I am curious at to what species this no release applies to: fish only or everything else?

There are fish designated as extinct in the wild. Would your edict apply to those fish being released in their native habitat as part of a repopulation effort also?

You said NEVER!

The fish 'extinct' in the wild are mostly all in Africa. Don't think you'll have any problem there.

There are some here in Texas/USA which are on the endangered list, and require a special permit to keep/breed and there's a process for putting them back into the wild (pretty strict if I remember correctly. you have to have tons of documentation for everything you've done with the fish: what type of food, how much, what types of meds, etc., etc.). And if you can't release them back into the wild for whatever reason they have to be destroyed (to keep them from breeding with native, wild species).

The state wants/need experienced keepers to help with these endangered species, so if you can prove you have what it takes to keep and breed them you can get a permit. I also believe there are several species on the "watch list" (whatever special name they have for it), which are easier to obtain the permits for (less documentation required, etc.).

[TheCanuck]

[/quote] I never had mine with other fish. Just them.[/quote]


LOL

[Rift2Reef]

I think the chances are better of a fish from a lake having diseases and causing problems in a tank than tank raised fish contaminating a lake with diseases.Surely the water in your tank is a whole lot better taken care of than the lake.I have tried lake fish in my tank and they really do not have much color and I got bored of them fairly quickly and they eat like pigs.


Water in an aquarium is hardly better than that of a large lake. Even with boat traffic and trash you rarely find nitrates, phosphates and other issues you find in aquariums. Might not always be the clearest but seldomly is the water quality better in a confined environment such as an aquarium compared to that of something with millions of gallons of water. As far as parasites go it's even less likely considering the amount of water it's very hard for parasites to spread like they do in a controlled environment.

Some lakes have slot limits on fish. That is where you'd want to take largemouth bass if you are insisting on doing it. They actually want you taking out the smaller fish and leaving the mid sized ones. Some lakes are the opposite. I don't think a game warden would bother you they usually have much better things to do and they are already understaffed as it is.

Be prepared to do some water changes because they are messy compared to what we are used to.

[gacericardo]

So now I am curious at to what species this no release applies to: fish only or everything else?

There are fish designated as extinct in the wild. Would your edict apply to those fish being released in their native habitat as part of a repopulation effort also?

You said NEVER!

I would let the Texas Wildlife Fishery Center worry about that. I dont think they need us replenishing an extinct population in our lakes. Honestly its better to kill your fish than release it into the wild. I had a long talk with a man who runs something similiar the the fishery here in the north and we talked about the asian carp infestation and the giant snakehead and even things as small as different algae. All of those can be detrimental to a river or lake system. Its crazy what one fish from your tank could do to an ecosystem if he has any sort of disease non native to where he was put. Just my .2 cents

[cichlidkeeper]

i think they were referring more to endagered/extinct victorian/madagascarian cichlids and tons of others. but yes, what you say is true...

[iron]

We had a species introduced to the Great Lakes are some 14-20 years ago. They are called zebra mussels. This is a species that not only moved in and survived, it took over. All native clams are totally consumed by them. They cover anything underwater like a blanket. They are extremely sharp and will cut you to ribbons. They plug up the water intakes and exhausts. They are a menace in so many ways if would be hard to tell you of all of them.
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/04/large_00mussel.jpg
The lakes were not very clear before the ZM came in. As I diver I would dive in conditions as low as zero, and maxing out around 20 ft in the winter. The zm have changed the clarity of the water drastically. Making the water visibility up to 100 ft or more. This was when I dove last in Lake Michigan.
The benefits are huge, and the problems are even greater. This is one species that will not go away, and it will overtake any body of water it comes in.
Another species that was introduced and ruins the cycle is the sea lamprey,
http://capitalnewsservice.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/sea_lamprey_97435_7.jpg
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00946/pic_used/sea_lamprey.jpg
It was brought in through shipping freighters just like the Zm. They are true enemies of the Great Lakes.
Its important that you empty all water from your boats at the location you pull out from. Not at the next lake. Species are being introduced and bacteria, sickness and disease, by this problem alone.
Though it might be a neat idea to introduce a species into a body of water for the sake of study or what have you, it isnt. Unless you own the stock pond, dont even think about risking the destruction of someone elses.
Being witness to what non native species can do to an ecosystem within a lake, I totally agree with destroying the fish or pet and not allowing it to ruin the waterways.

[alta678]

Well put, Iron.

[tmds3]

Its like Giant Salvania on Caddo Lake taking over the plant life
http://www.uncertain-tx.com/

[cichlidkeeper]

yeah, that stuff takes over. in most of the outdoor annuals and Tx Hunt Fish Mags there is usually a page with a fishing hole covered in it....

[iron]

Tumble weed is from Russia. Again, another species that is far from home and causing havoc. A man who hated America brought them over. Now Texans are covered in them to.

[greeneyed]

Johnson grass was also brought in.

[cichlidkeeper]

lol, but they give such a great vision of the old west :hehe:

[China8USA]

2years ago I caught in a net 3 catfish. when they are fry they travel in a knot. I started them in a 2 1/2 to a 10 so on until they hit the 100g. This took just a year. I released them to the Trinity they were about 16 inches. I was doing water changes and it was still dirty. Make sure of sizes of fish and tanks.


I found some in a lake the same way. A ball of 2 inch catfish in the shallows. I had to catch some.

[cichlidkeeper]

those catfish are usually bullhead. bass will school with them. ive caught thousands of the cats at one time in a dip net..... i have also just gone down to a little creek and sight netted or blind netted for baby bass. for those of you close to bedford, bedford boys ranch is an easy place to scoop stuff up.....

[FlamandalayBay]

I used to want to keep a Tx tank but also found them a bit drab and sho nuff busters. Everything is bigger in Tx:hehe:
I do think Longear Sunfish are pretty nifty as are the gar, imho

[cichlidkeeper]

geen sunfish are well worth keeping. they have amazing colors, as do bluegill, redbreast, longear, and pretty much all the sunfish...

[robert321]

I currently have a 10 inch longnose gar that i keep in a 150 gallon tank out in the shop. He along with local crawfish, bluegill, blue cat, channel cat, black bullhead catfish, survived the winter in that tank. At one point there was 5 inches of ice on top of them. Since local fish will "freeze" they'll look dead but as soon as it warms up they'll snap back. Try it with a goldfish sometime, its pretty cool.
The first tank I set up was a TX tank. The local fish farm worked with me on selling some to me individually. I put hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, that gar, a deformed crappie i caught out of a private pond, and every species of local catfish. It was the first tank I had ever set up so I didn't really know what I was doing, I had a fiarly high kill rate. But by the end of the summer I got to where I was able to keep threadfin shad in it. The trick to that was putting sand in the bottom instead of gravel, it was the only way I could get them to eat.
One thing that could become a HUGE PROBLEM for someone is a lot of the laws that control police officers as far as searching private property do not apply to a game warden. A game warden has a lot more freedom than a regular police officer as long as they're looking for illegal game. Having a TX tank could be twisted into probable cause for a search that might find other non related things, now they have cause to get a warrant to search for that, and all of a sudden the fish you caught out of a river has gotten you up $hit creek. A game warden can search a car or house just on an accusation and the fact that you have a fishing or hunting license.
On a side note (I couldn't help but brag) I have 2 fish that I caught in the ultimate TX fish tank, the one inside Cabelas. I have a striped bass and an 18 inch crappie. I'm the only person that has ever gotten a striper to the store and it actually survive.

[horseshadow]

I've been told that you can keep native fish in aquariums if it's for educational purposes; such as a school class room tank. I've got one crappie and one bass from a stock pond in my 150 gallon with my chiclids and they have kept their own. I've kept bluegill alive in 100 gallon rubbermaid tank in the gargage for months. they seem to do fine if you ive them a little attention.

[pelon]

Where did ya get that gar from, exeter?

He's really cool look'n.
I think perch or sunfish, whichever they're call'd, are some good
look'n fish. I don't know why more peeps don't keep em.

I had a "creek" tank set up once.
Everything in the tank came from the creek behind my parents house
in Rockett, TX. I had a few Large Mouth Bass, a few Channel Cat,
about a dozen Texas Shiners, a few Perch, and about 80 freshwater Oysters.
I also had gravel, rocks, and driftwood that came from the creek.


Do you happen to have pics of that creek tank setup? thats sounds pretty interesting? if not do you think you could help me with one im right next door to you

[Venom SS]

Ive kept several LMB over the years. Grown several from 2" all the way to 15"+. They are very easy to keep. Other than requiring a large tank, they eat anything and everything. Ive fed mine everything from live mice down to lunchmeat. They do very well on a high quality pellet / fish filet / raw shrimp diet, much like a pbass. They grow very fast when well fed. Much faster than a pbass. Wouldnt recommend a tank less than 250g, for 1 fish. They dont do real well with tank mates. They can get along with most large fish but it makes feeding a PITA. The LMB's are voracious and its very hard for anything else in the tank to get food without over feeding the bass.