Colder water fish

steve

What about the eel tailed catfish?

4C to 38C everynes happy!

http://www2.mdbc.gov.au/naturalresource ... tfish.html

Original page below doesn't exist anymore, but google has cached it

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:4eD5 ... =clnk&cd=1

Quote:

Eel tailed catfish (Tandanus tandanus)
Eel tailed catfish range naturally throughout the rivers of the Murray-Darling basin. They are similar in appearance to most catfish species, with the exception that their caudal is not forked and is similar to an eel tail. The catfish is brown-grey in colour, often with a mottled appearance. This species has been known to reach over 7kg, however is usually caught much smaller (1-3kg). Eel tailed catfish are often caught by recreational fishers.

Despite their unusual appearance, eel tailed catfish are of excellent eating quality and are often preferred over other freshwater native fish such as golden perch. The flesh is white and well flavoured. Eel tailed catfish are rarely seen at seafood retailers. However, it should be noted that the American catfish farming industry provides the basis of a billion-dollar industry, with production in excess of 250,000 tonnes annually. Most of this product is processed for fish fingers and processed fillets.

Eel tailed catfish have not been trialed in intensive conditions, so its potential for intensive aquaculture is relatively unknown. Fingerlings are irregularly available and provided adequate natural food is made available, this species can be stocked at a rate of about 250 fish/ha, and should be marketable within 2-3 years.

I like it........... i might have to speak to bruce at ausyfish........hmmmmm

steve

Julie, i think is is the one for you!

They will breed if the water temp reaches 24C and build nests measuring 1 metre in gravel about two weeks before spawning.

Aquaddict

We have catfish here. Brown bullheads. I used to fish them out of the Waikato river 30 years ago. Scientists claim they were first found there 20 years ago...

Guess with the whiskers and all perhaps i was catching ocelots or squirrels?!!!

Thing is, you can't get liscenced to farm hardly anything here and these would be ideal. They're hardy, fast growing, live bearers.

Kiwis wont eat catfish but that's fine they wont eat blind eel either. But when you change the name from blind eel to Ling they line up for their purchase rofl!

Getting a new species gazetted will take a long time. But the options here are sooo limited. Here's a link, scroll down for what we're allowed. Anyone see a freshwater omnivore there?

Permitted Farmable Fish in NZ

Most are seafood.

I have banded kokopu. They grow pathetically slow and are carnivorous making diet a problem. Claims of weaning fingerlings onto pellets have been made but I've been unable to feed anything 'made' at all. Worms, mossies, egg yolk, pork, chicken, steak.

With no growth and steak for tea these are not worth considering commercially though they taste great. Very bony too so lots of processing should you ever raise em big enough.

I'm contemplating going the fancy fish market route but I really want to grow something to eat.

Carp species are popular with you Oz folk. Why?

steve

AA as far as i know (victoria at least) you get hanged drawn and quartered (possibly shot after that) for keeping a carp.

Thing is with aquaculture permits is that if you read the definition, technically you're not engaging in aquaculture if you are not selling the fish............Or did you mean permitted species

earthbound

I reakon Tandanus tandanus would hold great prospects, especially for the typical backyard food producer... And with such a wide temperature range, thats fantastic.... I have seen them available at my local aquarium shop, but they are neither cheap nor large, nor many available.

Carp are fine to keep, so long as they are inside in tanks, at least in W.A. that is.

aquamad

This is the problem with carp in Queensland:

Quote:

In Queensland, carp are declared noxious species. It is unlawful to possess them alive or dead*. It is prohibited to place or release carp into Queensland waterways. Penalties of up to $150,000 apply. Declared noxious fish are those that are, or may become, a pest to native aquatic communities. It is important that people don't move carp from one water-body to another, as this is the main way that carp spread. Carp should never be used as bait.

Found at http://www.carpbusters.com.au/carpinfo.html

steve

I think its actually illegal NOT to kill one if you catch it............. :shock:

aquamad

yep, same as tilapia

steve

OK all I have contacted Bruce form austy fish regarding Tandanus tandanus (AKA cat fish). The will have fingerling stocks by December.

Ready for the price? $1.10 each! (minimum order 100)

SO..................i'll be looking for interested parties, even if its only for one or two.........i'd really like to get some............Julie i'll be looking at you to take lots

Aquaddict

We're not allowed them either :cry:

I'm gonna be limited to plastic goldfish that you play with in the tub soon. It's the conservation thing which I understand but enclosed farming should be different. I guess Aquaculture typically flushes water which could cause difficulties with eggs etc.

But mine's enclosed!

Mebbe Dolphins.
:lol:

steve

Here is some more GOOD reading on tandanus cat fish

http://www.aquarticles.com//articles/tr ... danus.html

http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/tandanus.htm

http://www.adelaideaquariums.com.au/Faq ... danus.html

I'm definatly getting some

Oh well, looks like the 2200 litre pool i bought last year will be comandeered for these babies

Steve

monya

That catfish sounds great. 4 - 38 degrees. We wouldn't need anything else. Get past the ugliness and they become GOLD. We used to spear them :shock:

(ocean ones) fishing with the underwater light. They tasted good in fish cakes or pie, could imagine freshwater ones, particularly purged would be great. Do the freshwater ones have poisonous spikes too? My old man ended up in hospital one night with a spike in his hand after he ran his hand down the spear, thinking he had speared a flathead

steve

Yep, PAINFUL jab.

They are regarded as tasting better than golden perch by some. EXCELLENT eating.

AA, Tandanus is not permitted there? Bummer

Oh, and hows this for the meal deal, they breed EASILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New back yard aquaponics mascott me thinks.

One point though, they don't have scales (like clown loaches for those wtih a tropical tank) so they are more suceptible to fungal infections and whitespot (ich). So just keep them healthy with nice water

AM, better spark up your yabbie production, they love to eat them.

monya

i'd rather skin a fish than scale one, YOu're right steve, bring forward the new mascot for aquaponists

earthbound

Thats what it's all about, rather than making the growing system suit the fishes requirements. Find a fish that suits your growing environment, otherwise your always chasing the eight ball.......

Damn you alll........

I've spent most of the day typing, updating the book with all of these new fish species that people are finding so useful, and updating all the systems info, with the mirriad of possibilities that are starting to come out in these discussions, and experiments that people are doing. This is going to take months and months........ :shock:

It's all good though...

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Colder water fish

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A place to discuss aquaponics