Hi Folks.
I thought that I'd share another hobby of mine. I'm into aquariums, specifically, U.S. native fishkeeping. All of my aquariums are biotopes of my local aquatic flora and fauna. I don't keep predatory fish yet, but plan to have some soon. I currently have two display tanks, one grow out tank, and two quarantine tanks. I have two more QT tanks that aren't set up at the moment, and also two more display tanks to be set up. I hope to have them up and running this summer. Those tanks will also be specific local biotopes to me, including a tank for longear x Northern sunfish subspecies of the longear sunfish, and a tank for bluespotted sunfish and Eastern mudminnows. Why my fascination for keeping native fish? Well, they're free, although I've spent a good bit of money on equipment and food, at least the fish are free and fun to collect. Also, it's amazing how much beauty lives in our rivers and creeks, right in our backyards almost. Also, learning about their habits also helps me understand what goes on below the surface about what we normally think of as baitfish. Knowing their habits, appearances, motion and activity helps me to understand they prey of the predators that I fish for on a regular basis, and hope it helps me become a more informed angler. I also enjoy sharing this stuff with everyone to help with environmental awareness and other conservation issues. I help two public aquariums collect fish as well for their displays.
But, for now, here are my latest YT videos about my two display tanks. If you want to see more about these tanks, please check out my other videos. Enjoy!
First, my favorite "dream" tank, the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Biotope Aquarium. The featured fish, my favorite, includes the striped blenny (
Chasmodes bosquianus) along with naked gobies, skilletfish, mummichogs, Norfolk spot, mud crabs, and a hermit crab. I had sheepshead minnows in there but pulled them out and put them into QT to treat them for parasites. I'll have them back in the display tank in a couple weeks, so look for the next update.
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Next is my Potomac River Drainage Biotope Aquarium. There aren't any gamefish in this tank. Species include Satinfin and Spotfin shiners, mountain redbelly dace, longnose dace, Eastern blacknose dace, a common shiner, rainbow darters, greenside darters, tessellated darters, and fantail darters. The plants are all local from the rivers and creeks in the drainage.
OK, now you've seen my stuff, how about your aquariums?
