Re: NANFA-L-- Flathead catfish

Michael Sandel (kwksand-in-yahoo.com)
Tue, 4 Apr 2006 11:26:45 -0700 (PDT)

If this is the same fish, it came from the upper Ohio River; might have even been the Allegheny. I would say cooler temperatures would suit him well. Is the sunfish large enough to intimidate the flathead? I stashed two juvenile (3") P. olivarous while conducting a rotenone survey in a lock chamber. This would have been sometime in September 2004. The other flathead was too far gone when I caught him, and didn't recover. This fish recovered completely, and did well in a 29 gallon with a hang-on power filter, gravel, and a clay pot. He was eating pellets and gambusia when I gave him to Mark. This info is probably not of much help for him now though. Have you tried a small chunk of fresh shad?


Mark <nanfa-in-jonahsaquarium.com> wrote:
Here's another thought -- I was talking to Mike Sandel, and I think
we determined that the fish I gave you originally came from him. Is
that fish from Ohio? If it is, it might be that it is adapted to
cold winters. I think that in the winter, the big cats stop eating
much if anything. If the water is cold, they can do this without
losing a lot of weight -- cold water = lower metabolism. But in
your North Carolina greenhouse, I am guessing, it stays much warmer
than an Ohio river bottom over the winter. If the fish is programmed
to stop eating in the winter (daylight cues, especially in a natural
light environment), it might lose weight in the warmer/higher
metabolism environment. You'd think a hungry fish would eat, but
maybe the seasonal directive overrides the hunger.

-- 
Mark
Conejo Creek drainage
California USA


<))><


Need fish? http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get
/ help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at
/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get
/ help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at
/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml