The Monty Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 So I know I havent been on here for a while. Basically, I was keeping Dwarf Cichlids, Thomasi, Ellioti, Bolivians, and German Blues. My 5 year old emptied a whole container of NLS small cichlid, killed everything pretty much. I was left with 3 Black Neons, 1 Thomasi Male, 1 Male Ellioti, 1 swordtail, and my male Bristlenose. Cleaned the tank all out and have let it be for a few months. I have started going out and doing my own collecting. Ive been putting most things back, just seeing whats out there, and learning how to catch fish with a net. I found the best time for me to go is at night, I just find it easier to do things, no people around etc. You guys may have seen me posting up pics of things I have found, and what they are. I havent found much to be honest, but Im ok with that. I have been a few places. Bulimba Creek, Cedar Creek, Albert River, and Northbrook Creek. At Northbrook, I have caught Australian Smelt and Marjories Hardiehead. At Bulimba, I went in the day, didnt see a thing, but that was with no berley, so Im trying again tomorow night. At the spot on the Albert River, I found a pair of Pacific Blue Eyes. At Cedar Creek, I found lots of Longfinned Eels, a catfish, a heap of nice healthy Smelt, and cought my first rainbows there, some M. Doublayi. There colours were beautiful. So Im going to keep this thread open, as Im only learning, to post my experiences and trips and to keep up some info on the local Biotopes around. I have found some useful info at other sites, but it hasnt been updated or added to in years. Im going to be trying 5 spots tomorow night. These are Cedar Creek, a creek in Acacia Ridge (not sure of the name of it, not much hope of finding anything, but you never know), Bulimba Creek at Wishart, A creek in Springwood/Rochedale (also not sure of the name of it, have seen fish there though, not sure what), and the Albert River where I found the Blue Eyes. What I have been using is my Fenix TK15 Tactical Torch, a bucket and a large environet style fine mesh net with a long handle. Some old shoes and a pair of boardies. Tomorow night Im also going to be trying out my opera house net with some Big Johns Secret Burley mix. I find it really interesting being out in the middle of the night (left at 1am last time) in the middle of unfamiliar creeks with noone else, just you and the creek seeing whats in there. I think the scariest was out behind Glorious in the middle of the night, lol. You get to see some awesome things whilst out there. Long claw prawns, eels going around your legs, spiders using you as an escape from the water, I had a large water dragon fall from a tree and land next to me one night, made a big splash, and scared the **** out of me. So on Friday, Ill post up the best info I can on how I go, including pics of everything I catch and see, and what the environment is actually like. I find it interesting just knowing what is out there. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbowrunner Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hi Josh,I like to do this myself, spent many a night with a torch and bucket both in the fresh and saltwater. I find that the mesh fold up nets work best with bread and vegemite as bait. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63off Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Reckon I might follow this thread, it sounds very interesting. I was thinking of stocking my new tank with natives but I'm a bit of a noob so chickened out. I'm keen to see your pics and learn more about the local biotopes. I am a local after all so learning about where I live should be fascinating. Looking forward to your journey Josh. Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted October 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 RainbowRuuner, I tried BCF and BigW but couldnt find those style, had to stick with what I had 63off, Thats pretty much why Im doing it, just to learn. Im 27, so Im a bit of a late starter, but even as a kid, I would sit with a pen and paper, pulling bark off trees, and counting types of spiders I could find, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbowrunner Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 anaconda has the traps too, I have a few natives available if your interested. I catch local natives and breed them then give away eggs fry or young fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Have you tried California creek in cornubia, full of Rhads apparently Natives well worth it. Josh i do this to every new Native nut. Here is the link for the ANGFA Forum. Take a look, plenty of information on places to fish for natives. If you join ANGFA you can post on the forum, have access to our database which has plenty of local creeks that people have surveyed, each survey includes water parameters, fish, plants and inverts found in waterway. Coordinates etc. ANGFA membership also gives you access to the club magazine In Stream which you can down load, there is a free example on the ANGFA website. We have meetings every second month, great lectures and a fish auction afterwards where you can get some great native fish and plants for next to nothing. members are also able to sell fish, guests no. We have field trips a couple of times a year. Best $25 you will ever spend. Anyway a few websites you should take a look at. ANGFA Forum ANGFA Forums :: Index ANGFA QLD home page The Home of ANGFA(Qld) - Home Adrian Tappins wonderful website. Home of the Rainbowfish A link to his ebook which is well worth downloading Free Cloud Storage - MediaFire An international rainbow site Rainbowfish.info - Rainbowfish, Blue eyes, Australia, New Guinea A yank site Rainbowfish Forum :: Index ENJOY THE WORLD OF RAINBOWS. I think we need a QLDAF members natives field trip soonish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Josh I have a great creek in forestDale, PM me if you want to do a late night session. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted October 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Thanks for the offer. Ill see how I go with catching some more in the wild, might have to give you a call, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 (edited) Ok, back after a few hours of collecting. I only ended up going to three spots. One is a little creek in Springwood. Its down towards Underwood park. Water was very very dark, and very still. Mostly mud and concrete base by the looks of it. Didnt find much there, some freshwater shrimp and some fish that Im not sure what it is, but I see it there a lot. Id please? (first pic). Saw a swordtail in the water, but didnt get it too. Lots of Tadpoles, and thats about it. I then went to Bulimba Creek. Caught my first Rainbow in about 10 seconds, lol. Full of Doublayi, around the 2-4cm size, so babies still, but thats whats there. Did see a large adult, but alas, it got away. Saw a few of what looked like Tandanus Tandanus, and even a convict Cichlid (pretty sure it was ). Its really good to see a creek that runs through such densly populated areas, doing really well. Mostly a light gravelly sand base, lots of leaves settled as well, some nice trees down. Not a good pic, but you get the jist. From there, out to Cedar Creek, and picked up a couple of Doublayi from there, as well as these again: The colour from here is really nice in comparison to Bulimba Creek, much brighter colours and blacker fin ends. Nice and Rocky, but slow flowing, and very leafy. These are only around 3cm, and the photos dont do them justice: And these are some others in the tank: Couldnt get rid of this guy, Ive had him for about 2 years: Not sure where to go next time, think I have enough Dublouayi. Josh Edited November 1, 2012 by The Monty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumbotron Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Monty, Hard to identify the fish in the first pic correctly without getting a better look at the fins, but I would think that it is either a Carp Gudgeon or mayby a Firetail Gudgeon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Yeah, sorry about the pics, I didnt take any, so couldnt really get a decent pic of it in water. Im about an hour of getting these guys in the tank (the rainbows). I like to take it easy, nice and slow and slowly aclimatise. At the moment Im having around a 95% success in transfer rate, including the smelt. I havent lost any rainbows before. What I have noticed in comparing the two, Bulimba and Cedar Creek variety's is that the Cedar Creek males are awesome, colourful and solid black outer fins. The Bulimba creek ones though seem to be showing more yellow than red. Ill try and get some pics of both soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Awesome thread. Please keep it coming. I have a spare 2ft tank and lots of creeks. Might get me to commit to a native tank. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Pics up in a minute. I have a photo that really shows the difference between the two creeks. I know people say not to mix different creeks bloodlines and the such, but I have no intention of selling or breeding, so it wont be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Maybe they arent Doublayi's from Bulimba? They have a very green tinge to them, and more yellow in there fins. Cedar Creek Top, Bulimba Creek bottom: Cedar Creek. Sorry about the woeful pics, cant be bothered at this time of morning: Bulimba Creek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish4fish3 Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 back to the gudgeons... The first looks to be an emperor gudgeon and the large guy is a striped gudgeon for sure. Cool. I wish I could find Rainbows in my area. I have scoured the Corindi Creek to find Macro shrimp (long arm shrimp), smelt, striped gudgeon, emperor gudgeon, eels, glass shrimp, a bass but no Rainbows despite the survey of the creek from Angfa where the guy collected one but missed all the other stuff I found in plentifull numbers. I was even in the same spot depicted. to sum it up... I'm jealous for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 I actually grew up down your way, at a place called Scotts Head. We had property out between Dorrigo and Armidale, pretty much 2 hours west of Macksville. Full of beautiful creeks and fish, but being a kid I never knew what they were. I would give my left testicle to go back out the collecting now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63off Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Monty, have you taken a look at Slacks Creek and Scrubby Creek? I've often wondered what was in them as I drive past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 back to the gudgeons... The first looks to be an emperor gudgeon and the large guy is a striped gudgeon for sure.Cool. I wish I could find Rainbows in my area. I have scoured the Corindi Creek to find Macro shrimp (long arm shrimp), smelt, striped gudgeon, emperor gudgeon, eels, glass shrimp, a bass but no Rainbows despite the survey of the creek from Angfa where the guy collected one but missed all the other stuff I found in plentifull numbers. I was even in the same spot depicted. to sum it up... I'm jealous for sure! I can hook you up with an ANGFA member in CH who knows where the good stuff is. Would you like me to do so ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) Argh double post. Josh, nice crimsons. The first one I caught was back in January, they were about a year old when I caught them the large males have the most striking colours now, all mine come from the same creek and I want to breed em so they will stay together and not be mixed. I will try to add some pics. Edited November 2, 2012 by grubby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonKid Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 well this has been my secret and i tried and tried but mine always died so you would have better luck i was told these buggers are endangered so get them breeding but if you head off to algester there is a park called col bennet at the back is paradise road if you walk through the park to where the train bridge is there is a little creek in there you will find golden spotted rainbow perch, my friend found out about them being in there and tried his hardest to get more then one but he couldn't so i though id try my luck i got about 4 but they all died and that was over time if i was you try set up some little traps and give it a go may be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRISSY Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Good going mate, good to hear you are getting some nice ones. The cedar creek ones look very good Ps if you don't want the thomasai I would love to take him, pm me a price if you want. And I also know a very good spot for rainbows, just pm me and I'll show you on google maps. Thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Monty, have you taken a look at Slacks Creek and Scrubby Creek? I've often wondered what was in them as I drive past. Bogans..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I can hook you up with an ANGFA member in CH who knows where the good stuff is. Would you like me to do so ? This guy also breeds the nicest M . Lacustrus in ANGFA, he's a good dude to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 well this has been my secret and i tried and tried but mine always died so you would have better luck i was told these buggers are endangered so get them breeding but if you head off to algester there is a park called col bennet at the back is paradise road if you walk through the park to where the train bridge is there is a little creek in there you will find golden spotted rainbow perch, my friend found out about them being in there and tried his hardest to get more then one but he couldn't so i though id try my luck i got about 4 but they all died and that was over time if i was you try set up some little traps and give it a go may be worth it. What are endangered, Crimsons ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalion Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Endangered gold spotted rainbow perch???? Would like to see those pics. I miss the days where I was able to creek hop, throwing lures at snags and dip netting the clearer water. Some very cool little creeks in northen NSW. Some very nice renmant rainforest to walk through, with cool little critters also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
