23 replies to this topic

[Scotty Richo]

Hey all

I'm looking to start up an Australian native tank
And I don't know what type of fish are Australian natives
Just wounding if anyone can give us a list of fish that are??
And any pointers on keeping them

[Bowdy]

Your best bet would be to google Australian native fish mate. Not giving you a bump answer just think you will get a better answer.

[Westie]

Rainbow fish are nice

[knock]

well that killed a good conversation..dowdy

if its community fish your thinking about, try the less aggresive species....rainbow fish are a good start

Edited by knock, 20 January 2013 - 09:15 PM.

[Scotty Richo]

Ok I'm look at getting rainbows hey I have about 5 mono angles are they natives ??

[Anka]

You have a few (readily available) options:
- Rainbowfish
- Blue eyes
- Gudgeons

I strongly recommend rainbowfish - they have outstanding colour, and empire gudgeons. You will need a 3ft or larger tank to keep the majority of rainbowfish for life.

If you don't mind having fish from Papua New Guinea (formerly owned by Australia - so technically could be considered Australian native ), I recommend getting boesemani, incisus, lacustris and wanamensis. They have great colour and are easy to take care of. You will need at least 6 as they are a shoaling fish. Also looks at peacock gudgeons - they are amazingly colourful.

Purple Spotted Gudgeons have good colouring but they are more aggressive so you will need to be careful what you put them with.

Vebas, Pet Magic and Aquotix usually have a good selection of rainbowfish - and you can usually get them for $10-$25 each (depending on species, size etc).

Check out Aqua Green (Click Here, which is run by Dave Wilson up in the NT. There is a list of Aussie natives that he stocks on his website. Livefish.com.au also sell a good range of native fish - they have a Native section.

Goodluck

Ok I'm look at getting rainbows hey I have about 5 mono angles are they natives ??

Yes

If you want a predator tank, have a look at archer fish.

I believe that Monos and Archers prefer slightly brackish environments.

Edited by Anka, 20 January 2013 - 09:28 PM.

[Scotty Richo]

Cheers anka

Yer I have a Saratoga jardini that I'm growing up as well he should be fine in there with rainbows and stuff hey??

[knock]

think they originate from either south america and an asian sp. too but could be wrong

Cheers anka

Yer I have a Saratoga jardini that I'm growing up as well he should be fine in there with rainbows and stuff hey??

short answer...........no

[Anka]

The saratoga will likely eat them as snacks.

Knock is right - I believe Mono's are widely distributed. You get them in Africa as well I believe.

[Bowdy]

well that killed a good conversation..dowdy

As you can see shandy I killed no convo but nice attempt mate.

Give us a bit more info on the tank and set up itself.

I have kept Gudgeons in the past and there great fish.

[Scotty Richo]

Ok cheers for that I only just got my Saratoga and he is doing great I got him at like 7cm and is loving life and looking abit fatter now since I have had him

[Anka]

Don't take my word on this (i.e. you will need to research it or get confirmation from more experienced keepers), but you may be able to keep a nice Aussie native predator tank with the saratoga, archer fish and maybe a purple spotted gudgeon.

[Scotty Richo]

The tank I'm using for my Australian natives is 5x18"x2 that's not doing anything

I just wasted a 6x2x2 on a mangrove jack I'm just hoping it worth it in the long run
Hoping he will grow up and be a big head turner hey

[ant86]

Archerfish?? They are native arnt they?

[sajica]

Archerfish are native to Australia ant86. There are a few species of Toxotes that aren't found in Australia but found in the Indo Pacific region. I seem to recall there's around 6 Toxotes sp with 4 species chatareus, jaculatrix, lorentzi and kimberlyensis found across the norther parts of Australia.

Rainbows would make a nice use of the 5x18x24. I used to have all sorts in a tank that size. I've had Peacock Gudgeons with different variants of M. trifasciata, M. splendida. It just depends on what species tickles your fancy. There are plenty of nice species available and even more unobtainable.

[Mattymak]

The tank I'm using for my Australian natives is 5x18"x2 that's not doing anything

I just wasted a 6x2x2 on a mangrove jack I'm just hoping it worth it in the long run
Hoping he will grow up and be a big head turner hey

Not wasted how dare you

He'll be worth it bro (:

[sajica]

*looks at avatar* LOL

Jacks are a great fish, not personally my cup of tea even considering they're a native but definitely good entertainment if you're that way inclined. It's weird to have a topic of discussion that's going in 3 different directions, it's like being a kid in a candy store *doesn't know which topic to answer first*

Plenty of Mangrove Jack keepers and the odd Rainbow keeper on here (both figuratively and literally). If you're that way inclined you have to come to an ANGFA WA meeting one day

[Scales]

Murray cod with the Saratoga, cod for the bottom and toga for the top

[ant86]

How well do saratogas go with loachs in the tank?

[ice]

Murray cod with the Saratoga, cod for the bottom and toga for the top

Good in theory, bad in practice.. trust me