Native Aquarium fish soon to be TOO big for tank

[Moose-Hunter]

Howdy All...

I keep a 55 gallon native fish tank. Walleyes and bass.

I was just wondering what I could do with these guys when they out-grow their tank. I may get a larger (75 to 125 gal.) tank, but that's still up in the air. I'll probably start fresh on that one anyway. I know I can't release them. I don't really want to put them under the knife, but they do look awful tastey!! What about selling/donating them to..... Who? DNR? Cabelas? Morries?

Any advice?

Thanks for the input....

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M-H (aka: Dan)

[B. Amish]

i could be wrong......but i've heard that a fish will stay at a size that is proprtional to the size of the tank it is in. so maybe they won't outgrow their tank.

[shortfatguy]

i used to have natives in my tank too. they never got to big for the tank. the northerns and muskies seemed to like to commit suicide by jumping against the lid untill they eventually ended up on the floor. they sure are fun to watch when they feed on minnows!! as for where to get rid of them you could try the duluth aquarium if you cant find anywhere i would try realeasing them into a private pond or lake. or a mine pit with no access. we have alot of these pits on the range and many of them have fish in them and are not fished by anyone. good luck with your "problem"!

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a bad day at the lake is better than a good day at work

[jlm]

How about Underwater World in the Mall of America, they might take them!

[Cyberfish]

I'll take em !

[Kodiak]

put em in a golf course pond or a small local lake....they will be safe in there.

[Fisher Dave]

You ever notice Cabela's constantly has different fish in the tanks and often the fish look pretty unhealthy?

Illegal or not, myself I would release them... but who knows if they would survive a winter being accustomed to constant warmth... at the same time, they may not last that long if its a popular fishing hole.. I'm sure you trained them on what to eat well(minnows, nightcrawlers, etc). Same thing thats hanging under the bobbers at the local dock.

[viking_fan]

B.Amish is corret !!!
for some reason they can only get so big.
you should be fine with them as they are,If not call a fish store and see if they want them ( for a price ) they are worth more the bigger they are.

[mnrstrider]

Contrary to popular belief, the fish will not stop growing because of tank size, I did work at a great fish store for several years, I doubt a fish store will take them, they might, you never know, you might be able to find a school to take them, the Zoo may have a lead for you, doubtful they will take them either, and maybe cabela's would be interested. I dunno, I guess it's probably not legal to release them, but personally I'd think about it, you could even call the DNR, and they might even say it's ok to release them. Whatever solution you come to post it up, I'd be interested to see what options you found.

[LundExplorer]

Eat them!!!

[Moose-Hunter]

Howdy All....

Thanks for all the replys!!! Good info!!

Native fish in an aquarium CAN outgrow their little world. Tropical fish don't seem to do this, but natives (tank fish anyway) grow in direct relation to the amount of feed, regardless of their tank size. And I only feed them once a week.

As my tanks sit right now....

30 Gallon....
Two bluegills: going to a neighbor's tank
Two bullheads: following the bluegills

55 Gallon....
Two walleyes: undecided. may keep, may not
Two lm. bass: available. Two different strains I think. Cyberfish.... You out there?

Other than cramped quarters, my tanks are very healthy. Water chemistry is stable, plants are almost groming TOO well. A slight algea build-up, but very manageable. My 30 gallon panfish tank is going to be taken down and either sold or stored. The 55 gallon will be turned into a crappie tank as soon as I figure out what to do with the walleyes.

I have yet to do any calling around to find a home for my walleyes. I may end up getting a larger tank and keeping them. These guys would need a 75, 90 or a 125 gallon for just the two of them. And yet another walleye related expense..... And I thought fishing for them got spendy..

Keep the info coming!!! It's very much appreciated!!! And I'll keep you all posted as to their progress....

Thanks again!!

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M-H (aka: Dan)

[jlm]

Where did you get the fish from anyway?

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi jlm...

All my natives are store bought. There are a few fish shops around that carry the proper licenses. These can from a shop in Crystal.

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M-H (aka: Dan)

[korn_fish]

moose -

The bobber shop in Mankato has a huge tank at its store with some of the biggest craps and bull gills that I have ever seen. Give em a call, they might be interested in your fish.

[Moose-Hunter]

Howdy All...

A little update on my fish "problem"...

I emailed the DNR, asking for suggestions on what I could do with my fish. I just received a response. Here's what they said....

"Dan,
Thank you for your inquiry. I contacted my boss and here is his response:

"These are always tough questions to answer. Some suggestions are Como Zoo or Minnesota Zoo, Underwater World at MOA, otherwise, they should be disposed of in the trash and not in our lakes.

We do not want them in our lakes or our hatcheries."

Sue Ronchak
DNR Fisheries"

I did call the Bobber Shop as well with no luck. I'm still waiting for responses from both zoo's. I guess I'm back to square one....

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M-H (aka: Dan)

[LocalGuide]

So is there any places that I can buy a walleye and a pike from near the mankato area? Or even in the Willmar/Spicer area?
Thanks

BTW I have a 75 gal I am starting out right now as the house is getting done.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[Moose-Hunter]

Aside from letting your tank COMPLETELY finish it's start up cycle (Can't stress this enough!!!)

Your best bet is to just pick up the phone and call local fish/aquarium stores. That's how I found mine. Most shops do not carry the proper paperwork to deal in natives but there are a few. If that have the license, they'll either have them in stock or can order them for you. Walleyes are fairly common. It's the pike that may be a problem. I've only seen one shop that even had one. But, if you'd like, drop me a note and I may be able to point you in the direction of your pike... moosehunter (at) earthlink (dot) net.

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M-H (aka: Dan)