Brackish At Wildwoods, Maidenhead Aquatics Peterborough

[nmonks]

Did a nice fish trawl today, and there's definitely some nice stuff out there at the moment. Over at Wildwoods, the highlight was definitely some very healthy-looking Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda (mangrove horseshoe crabs). These are feeding well on crushed mussel. About 10 cm shell length, plus another 10 for the tail-spine.

Also on view was some species of 'Arius' sea catfish. Not the standard Colombian Shark Catfish; this species had black eyes and a black spot on the top of the adipose fin. Also in attendance were Butis butis, Allenbatrachus grunniens, butterfly-goby waspfish, a single milk-spot puffer Chelonodon patoca, some figure-8 puffers, some green spotted puffers, an Anableps, Chlamydogobius eremius, bumblebee gobies and a mystery sleeper goby (likely Eleotris sp.). Elsewhere in the shop were Nomorhamphus ebrardtii (a brackish-tolerant freshwater halfbeak) and any number of Datnioides species and spiny eels. So for the brackish water fishkeeper, definitely quite a bit of nice stuff at the moment.

Visiting the Peterborough Maidenhead Aquatics was a real treat. I've never been there before. It's famous for loaches, and to be honest I was simply blown away by the variety. I don't think I've ever seen so many in one place, including lots of Vaillantella maassi and Vaillantella cinnamomea, at (if I recall correctly, about 7-8 quid a pop). But anyway, for the brackish water fishkeeper there was a small but decent selection including regular and West African monos; regular and silver scats; two species of archer (T. microlepis and T. jaculatrix, I think); some *huge* Tetraodon fluviatilis; some figure-8 puffers; some very nice-sized wild-type orange chromides; some big and very attractive Butis butis, and some Datnioides spp.

For the lower-end brackish systems I spotted Limia nigrofasciata, Hoplosternum littorale, and horseface loaches. Brachygobius xanthomelas was also present, and while a freshwater species in the wild, it will certainly do well in low-end brackish systems. Putting aside all the usual debates as to the identity of bumblebee gobies, these were certainly the right size and colouration to be the "dwarf" bumblebees rather than the standard "big" Brachygobius species more usually traded.

Anyway, some good stuff in both places!

Cheers, Neale

 

[Marine/Freshwater?]

Nice fish. I'm not overly impressed though. I like the native stuff I colect myself. Petshops in europe sure rock! Anyway I think it is a shame how few people appreciate thier native fish. A Skilletfish I found in a corona bottle was an awsome discovery. He ranks as my second favorite fish behind Gangentic River Morays (Strophidon sathete). He is a porker he eats out of my hand. I sure wish I could get my hands on a Gangenitc River Moray.

 

[nmonks]

While I'm not unsympathetic to this viewpoint, appreciating native fish is a LOT easier when you live in the subtropical parts of the US. Pretty much anything captured in the Deep South will do well at room temperatures all year round. But native fish in the northern parts of the US and across most of Europe simply don't do well indoors. Room temperature is simply too high for most of them, at least for part of the year.

So much as I enjoy keeping coldwater marines when I get the chance, the real fact of the matter is that unless you have a degree in marine zoology (which I happen to have) identifying suitable livestock isn't easy. If you randomly capture stuff along the UK coastline and stick it in an aquarium, 90% of it will be dead within a month. It's really only the stuff that comes from the Lusitanian faunal province that does well in indoor tanks. Likewise anyone who collects, say, in California will end up with a lot of dead fish because most of those fish are adapted to the coldwater California Current. You need to know specifically what fish have enough tolerance to do well indoors.

Cheers, Neale

Anyway I think it is a shame how few people appreciate thier native fish.

 

[Marine/Freshwater?]

It is not just the saltwater natives that are cool it is things like Brook Sticklebacks. Large Mouth Bass are awsome predators. Plus you have it pretty sweet with Beadlet and Snakelocks. Also blennies are nice. Also FYI my parents do not turn on the ac! My tank was at 85 degrees last summer. I made a bunch of ventalations ducts to cool it off. Water in Canaveral is like 70 degress tops. More to the piont people should appreciate thier native stuff more, I am not by any means saying you dont. The problem is the people that catch puffers and let them die when they catch them. When I go to my LFS the average customer would have no clue what some the fish are I've kept. I am very tired of people dumping near Port Canaveral. Last time I went to the beach a bunch of extreme people went out on surfboards and formmed a blocked against some cruise ships. Growing up I've spent a lot of time in the Keys. It is totally trashed. Lue Key looks like a dust storm hit it.

 

[Kevin_D]

I'd really like to keep Horseshoe Crabs, I remember posting about them on here and getting a reply that they are difficult to feed in captivity, would it be worth buying any from wildwoods then since their ones are feeding well? I ordered a Fish from wildwoods today, a Lepidosiren paradoxa, im aware how large they get, I'll be able to house it when adult, it should be arriving Friday.

 

[mlawson]

I've wanted to get some desert gobies for a while, so they sound good, I might make an order on their new internet ordering system which is good as it makes all this selection available for UK residents who live too far away to travel easily. I've only been to Wildwoods once, it is great, it took me a while to find it however, as there were about 5 different fish shops along the same road, it's mad!

 

[CFC]

I'd really like to keep Horseshoe Crabs, I remember posting about them on here and getting a reply that they are difficult to feed in captivity, would it be worth buying any from wildwoods then since their ones are feeding well? I ordered a Fish from wildwoods today, a Lepidosiren paradoxa, im aware how large they get, I'll be able to house it when adult, it should be arriving Friday.

So what tank do you have planned for it when its a meter long then? Anyway i bought the other one they had in stock last weekend so i can tell you that you wont be disapointed, they are lovely little things.

 

[Kevin_D]

I have a very large tank planned obviously, not at the moment though,it will be kept in a smaller tank for now, but I have plenty of space though, and plenty of time, so I can easilly fit a 6.5 x 6.5 x 1.5-2 foot tank for it, or larger, and suitable filter for it, or possibly larger.