-----Original Message-----
From: R. W. Wolff
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 1:31 AM
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Muddminnows as a class fish
> 3: Is the canidate willing to take the job for the
> pay offered? (rotating flakes, granduals, Freeze
> dried, and other, with only occational live foods)
Mudminnows generally do not take to prepared foods easily.
> 4: Can the canidate tolorate the job conditions?
> (room temp in classroom, with possible summers on a
> 80-90 F front porch; wildly varying photo periods
> depending on if I am turning off the lights frequently
> for Power points or not that day, 20 gal tank, mixed
> species, HOT power filter.)
mudminnows are considered cool water species, but here in the marsh they can
be found in water hot enough to take a bath in. Centrals are found in
Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee, and Easterns to northern Florida. They also are
found in current to stagnant waters, but prefer slower to still waters. They
prefer lower lighting, but once acclimated tolerate bright lighting. They
are more than adaptable species.
> 5: Is the canidate willing to accept the office with
> out extensive redecorating? (moving some pebbles ok,
> eating the plants is not.)
Until trained, they eat only live moving foods. They care little about their
decor, but like something to hide under or in. If the substrate is fine
enough they will bury into it, but that is usually not what they do.
> 6a; Does it have an interesting color?
Male centrals (Umbra limi) in breeding dress are spectacular and get short
changed in most all publications describing this fish. Certain populations
are attractive no matter what, male or female, breeding or not.
> 6c; Does it have an interesting behavior?
Normally stationary, but when hunting, attacking food it is quite unique (
aside from pike which it acts like). They also spar with each other and
other species with gill flaring and back arching. Normally no damage to any
fish from this display of aggression.
> 6d; Does it have an interesting history?
You would have to ask the fish itself.
> 7: What is the canidate's past job experience?
> (Anybody ever keep these guys in a tank?)
In my opinion, it is one of the neatest fish to keep. Especially if you ever
wanted to keep a pike or pickerel, but did not want the grocery bill one of
these fish rings up, or the size of tank one should have for an Esox.
> 8: Is the canidate likly to leave a legacy? (breed
> with out prompting, not really important for my
> purposes.
Unlikely to spawn without sufficient attempts to replicate a wintering
period. Drop in temps more important than photoperiod I would guess. Highly
unorthodox, but putting them in a refrigerator for over a month might do it.
All that said, this fish is really a swamp dwelling species, and would need
living food items to meet its nutritional needs , unless you are lucky to
get one to take prepared foods ( which dace can often teach them with
patience). To get them to spawn a wintering period is most assuredly a must.
Ray
-
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/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org