• We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Aussie natives Stocking.

Dudzy;3889298; said:
Hey masone got any more awesome photos to show us?
No fish pics but I went up to my brother-in-laws aunts place up on the tablelands for a look-see. They have pademelons that come round for a feed and rat kangaroos. The boyds forest dragon was a lucky spot on a tree, been a while since I saw one. Did go fishing the other day when I was bored, caught and released 10 snakehead gudgeons from 15cm to 25-30cm. Setting up another tank tomor arvo, might go catch some stuff for it and get pics. I have a jack sitting in a tub who could go in, otherwise might just throw in some mouth almighties and catch a few butis and make it a mini pred tank. Failing that I reckon a big male rosenbergii or lar would be cool. If I get time during the next week will go to my friends and get some small jp off him and get pics of the breeding pond.

bonnie&clyde.JPG

boyds.JPG

boyds2.JPG

ellie.JPG

pademelon.JPG

ratkangaroo.JPG
 
aussiemonsters;3890427; said:
hey masone by breeding pond do you mean JP breeding pond ?
Unintentional JP breeding pond. It is really just an older pond on a prawn farm that doesn't get used because it gets flooded when there is spring tides and heavy rain (once or twice a year). Actually, I don't think any of the prawn ponds are used anymore, they mainly concentrate on bananas. There are a few fish species in there, lots of palm leaves/refuse have been dumped on the banks and you can see small JP and mangrove jacks cruising among them when there has been breeding. It is possible that the small JP enter the pond when it floods but there are always babies and juvies from less than 1" up to 5" in big numbers. Super hungry too, I don't think there is much to eat in there except for maybe invert larvae and the odd shrimp, throw anything in the water and a cloud of skinny lil JP's descends on it like a wolf pack. You can usually spot archer fish cruising around on the surface and bigger jp sometimes. Water is typical prawn pond colour so visibility is limited away from the bank. Haven't ever seen big jacks (>1ft) or caught any popping lures so the baby MJ are likely entering the pond when it floods.

Dudzy;3891480; said:
Awesome stuff masone, cant wait for the pics of new setup.
And remember, if you ever come back down, I want a pack of snakeheads ;) lol
I probably won't be coming back down to Bris any time this year, am saving $$$ and moving to south america next year to do research work for a year or two. I can send them down though, am teeing up some fish for Alex. Easier for me to do one big box and you can just pick up the fish from him.
 
Thanks masone you are right the JPs and Jacks would enter as juveniles. Sounds like they are not doing too well in there hope they can exit in a good flood.
My attempt at spawning this year was a failure lost all larvae by day 19 but I learnt a lot. In short when (new moon) and most likely where (reef/offshore) and that they are serial spawners. The feed regime is the difficult part will definately have another try next year when I am properly prepared. DPI&f at BIRC had some success with numbers off eggs produced but I have not heard how they went will have to find out.
 
aussiemonsters;3892228; said:
Thanks masone you are right the JPs and Jacks would enter as juveniles. Sounds like they are not doing too well in there hope they can exit in a good flood.
My attempt at spawning this year was a failure lost all larvae by day 19 but I learnt a lot. In short when (new moon) and most likely where (reef/offshore) and that they are serial spawners. The feed regime is the difficult part will definately have another try next year when I am properly prepared. DPI&f at BIRC had some success with numbers off eggs produced but I have not heard how they went will have to find out.

Yeah I'd imagine rearing fry is the toughest part, being catadromous you have the double whammy of trying to supply appropriate food and dealing with changing salinity. I have a friend who spawned snakehead gudgeons which have the same sort of life history I believe, unfortunately he also lost all the fry after a week. I would assume a technique similar to that used for commercial breeding and rearing of M. rosenbergii could be employed?
 
Not really. I know only one person who has spawned them using hormones. I was actually talking to him about it the other week. He said they produced thousands of eggs and nearly 100% hatch rate but all the fry slowly died off. I have always been told they were catdromous but looking at fishbase it appears they are amphidromous. I am trying to get access to an article on their spawning habits but my uni doesn't have a license for the journal it was in :irked:.
 
masone;3893890; said:
Not really. I know only one person who has spawned them using hormones. I was actually talking to him about it the other week. He said they produced thousands of eggs and nearly 100% hatch rate but all the fry slowly died off. I have always been told they were catdromous but looking at fishbase it appears they are amphidromous. I am trying to get access to an article on their spawning habits but my uni doesn't have a license for the journal it was in :irked:.

Both O. aporos and E. margaritacea (spelling ?) are amphidromous.
Also O. porocephela and my favorite Gobiomorphus australis the striped gudgeon (any one kept these?) once common in SEQ but now not so mainly due to stream modification.