I grew up out in the country, and my first aquariums as a kid were native fish. I have many fond memories of seining, dip netting, and trapping them. Today, I only have one native tank, and it only has two fish in it- a green sunfish, and a madtom (legally procured, of course). Some natives may require a little extra effort to feed, but in my limited fishkeeping experience, they seem more durable than the tropical fish that I have had.