You may have found the ticket right there.... algae, hmmmmm. I presume
that this is your outdoor pond? Sunlight, algae and all..... Sounds like a
good recipe. Anyone try feeding nori to their hog suckers?
Nick Zarlinga
"If we ignore nature.....maybe it'll go away."
----- Original Message -----
From: <Prizma_at_aol.com>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 4:52 PM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Hogsucker
> In a message dated 9/9/02 4:04:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com writes:
>
>
> > The term "live" refers to keeping a microfauna of critters alive and
> > growing in the substrate. Usually, in our aquariums, we tend to keep
our
> > gravel vacuumed and clean. This method is a more natural method that
> > enables the tiny organisms to grow and reproduce also. It came from the
> > coral reef buzz that has flourished so well recently. I think to house
a
> > hog sucker, and allowing for growth, you would need a large suface area
of
> > "live" substrate for it to graze off of. Another idea would be to use a
> > refugium (an inaccessible section of substrate where the microfauna can
> > grow, reproduce, and spread without being disturbed).
> >
>
> i much agree with these comments on keeping hogsuckers alive. in addition
to
> the live sand concept one would also likley suppliment feedings with fine
> sinking foods, frozen bloodworms and such released at the outfloor of the
> power head.
> an observation i see while snorkling is that small hogsuckers are always
busy
> grazing. even when im chasing one about it is constantly feeding. large
ones
> are almost always just resting below runs. rarely do i see a large one
> eating. this makes me wonder how they got so big! perhaps they eat at
night?
> this is one of the first fish i enjoyed observing. it is really neat how
far
> the mouth will extend will feeding. it reminded me of an elephant on my
first
> extended closeup observations.
> i do have a hogsucker in the cement pond which is increasing in size. we
had
> caught him back during the seinerama... may or june of this year.
sometimes
> he is resting, other times he is busy grazing on the algae and micro
critters
> living in the old shag carpet that covers the pool bottom. log perch and
> blackbanded darters do the same nosing about it. the logperch flips over
> leaves and debris. all are increasing in size. the oddity tho is the black
> bandeds are losing their distinct markings and developing a more blurry
> pattern.
> i wish someone well on these excellent suggestions posted on extending the
> life of a captive hogsucker. a really unique fish. i seem them from the
> smallest mountain streams to the bigger rivers such as the conasauga,
tellico
> or emory.
> casper
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