Just want to know how many people have what I call a "redneck aquarium?" My tank is 300 gallons and has a baby alligator (16 inches), a long-nose gar, two LM bass, a bluegill, and a crappie (plus penty of minnows and crawdads). If anyone has done the same thing I'd like to know (my wife says it's all a waste of water but I don't think so). My kids, though, love it...especially since we have caught all the fish living in the tank.

Sounds pretty cool, got any pics? I'm a salt water reef geek myself.... 8-)

I was actually considering setting up an aquarium like this....I would be interested in hearing from some people with experience on how difficult it is/was to keep these species alive....

I dont have one quite that big mine is 100 gallon have a couple bass in it.

I would like to have a big aquarium oneday to study bass habits, but it'd have to be BIG.  I also think you would have to have it outside inorder for the observations to be more true to the natural habits that bass exhibit in the wild.  If the aquarium is placed inside, I think you could only study certain aspects of the bass's daily routine.  Such as feeding habits, and how they react to certain stimuli like oxygen levels, and ph levels, but that is about it.  When placed outside the aquarium would provide a more natural chance to study the bass being that the bass would react to biological changes such as weather conditions, barometer, temperature etc.  

A big huge pond would be nice too.  

I would like to have a big aquarium oneday to study bass habits, but it'd have to be BIG. I also think you would have to have it outside inorder for the observations to be more true to the natural habits that bass exhibit in the wild. If the aquarium is placed inside, I think you could only study certain aspects of the bass's daily routine. Such as feeding habits, and how they react to certain stimuli like oxygen levels, and ph levels, but that is about it. When placed outside the aquarium would provide a more natural chance to study the bass being that the bass would react to biological changes such as weather conditions, barometer, temperature etc.

A big huge pond would be nice too.

Or you can just get your SCUBA Certification.

Or you can just get your SCUBA Certification.

Thats a great idea!

I wonder though.... What would you have to go through each time you wanted to dive in a local lake or pond?  Could you just go and do it, or would you have to get permits, and all that crap?

Each lake differs but most of the ones I have been diving in just require you hang a dive flag from your boat and/or float a bouy with a dive flag where you are diving.

How much would it cost to get started?  Certification and all basic equipment?  

What better way to search for structure than to dive and actually swim around, and over it?  Sounds like alot of fun.

Used to have one, 100 or 150 gallon.  A buddy and I set it up, he had 15 different aquriums.  Anyways, we went out and caught all sort of small game fish.  Our largemouth was only about 5 inches when we captured it, 5 years later it would have weighed about 3 pounds.  Funny thing is that out big bull bluegill was the bully of the tank, he ran things in there.  It was great fun to go to the baitshop, buy a couple dozen minnows, and let the feeding frenzy begin.  It was like letting the tazmanian devil loose in there.  Nearly impossible to see them all get eaten the action was so fast.  After a feeding the water would be murky for a few days due to all the turbulance stirring up the rocks.  I had forgotten about that, I may have to set up another.

I do not have one but sounds like it would be fun to watch all of the different fish and so forth.  I may have to get one.

Matt

Used to have one, 100 or 150 gallon. A buddy and I set it up, he had 15 different aquriums. Anyways, we went out and caught all sort of small game fish. Our largemouth was only about 5 inches when we captured it, 5 years later it would have weighed about 3 pounds. Funny thing is that out big bull bluegill was the bully of the tank, he ran things in there. It was great fun to go to the baitshop, buy a couple dozen minnows, and let the feeding frenzy begin. It was like letting the tazmanian devil loose in there. Nearly impossible to see them all get eaten the action was so fast. After a feeding the water would be murky for a few days due to all the turbulance stirring up the rocks. I had forgotten about that, I may have to set up another.

You grew a bass from 5 inches to 5 lbs in a 150 gal tank??  

A friend of mine had two small paranas  (sp?) in a fish tank. One day we caught a small rock bass about 4 to 5 inches, food for the paranas. well the rock bass got his butt kicked! but ate the two small paranas. I thought it was funny he spent money on those fish just to get eaten by what we thought would be food.

Or you can just get your SCUBA Certification.

Thats a great idea!

I wonder though.... What would you have to go through each time you wanted to dive in a local lake or pond? Could you just go and do it, or would you have to get permits, and all that crap?

 As long as its legal to swim in scuba would be ok. But i would check with the locals first and always bring a partner  

YUP,....it's legal

That was a good day.  Russ I'm ready when ever you are I have my cold water suite all ready to go. Except this time I'm bringimg an underwater camera.  

Dude, it's 9 degrees out, that coldwater suit come with a helmet?  That first step is a doozy!!

Seriously though, right aftr Fork, we'll go take another look down there.

I have a 225 gallon aquarium that i keep in my basement.  Its currently the home of two spots that are about 10 inches long.  Rather personable little guys.  I enjoy feeding them shad and crawfish, which i gut load before feeding.  The fish sold as bait in most tackle shops are horrible emaciated and offer little to no nutrition for fish so I have a 55 gallon sump (which is part of the filtration) that I use to gut load the shad before feeding.  One thing I have noticed about how they attack there food though.  They will ambuch the shad, but when they encounter a crawfish they stop and sort out the situation before they attack.  They jsut dont zero in and explode, instead they try to get the craw by surprise.  I've seen them circle it and then slowly approach from behind and then when in range just inhale it.  Now if the craw trys to make a run then the spot slams him with no mercy of course .  

actually it doe....the air maybe 9 but the water is only freezing  ;D  After fork sounds like a plan

Hooker,  3 lbs not 5.   Lysdexia acting up?

Got a pic?

I've tried for year to set up my 125 gallon tank with "local" fish.  I wife would'nt go for it.  She told me if I want to look at lake fish that I should go fishing.   Well so I don't get to have bass, catfish and crappie in the tank but at least she doesn't care that I go fishing all the time.  BTW... That 125 is for sale if anyone is interested.  It has anything and everything except for fish.  We've had the tank for 6 years and we've had it set up several different ways....South American Cichlids, African Cichlids, Saltwater.  IF anyone is interested let me know.

Just want to know how many people have what I call a "redneck aquarium?" My tank is 300 gallons and has a baby alligator (16 inches), a long-nose gar, two LM bass, a bluegill, and a crappie (plus penty of minnows and crawdads). If anyone has done the same thing I'd like to know (my wife says it's all a waste of water but I don't think so). My kids, though, love it...especially since we have caught all the fish living in the tank.

I NEED TO SEE A PIC OF THIS TANK...SOUNDS AWESOME.

When I lived in Panama, I had a large tank with some small Peacock Bass that I caught. They actually did quite well. Depending on how well you know your local conservation officer, I think you might check your state regulations. I believe it is unlawful to have gamefish in a home aquarium. I know I read that somewhere. Funny thing is, you can buy channel cats at the local pet shop. So, it would be kinda hard to enforce. I have one albino cat in an aquarium now that grows about an inch every two months!

 I was in a local pet store the other day and they had a peacock bass for sale $69 (Sale ??). Think I was reading where they are in the Chiclid family (not sure, I have slept since then )....

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