I Saved Some Mosquitofish From A Dried Up Ditch!

[75g Discus Tank]

Hello Fellow Fishlorians!

I saved over 100 mosquitofish from drying out!

 

[Lorekeeper]

Got any plans for them? If you can't find any trustworthy ponds, a rubbermaid container from Walmart with a sponge filter out on your back porch would work pretty great!

 

[75g Discus Tank]

I put them in a recycling bin that’s in my filter pond.

It has holes so they will constantly get fresh water.

I will be selling some soon.

The big ones are 2-3” long and the smaller ones are 1 1/4 inch long

 

[Fanatic]

Cool! Thanks for saving them

 

[75g Discus Tank]

Anybody want any?

I’m going back to the ditch later today. There are still a ton of them left.

 

[Lorekeeper]

I'd be all over it if I had a pond!

 

[Smalltownfishfriend]

Are you shipping them?? Or just pick up

 

[yukondog]

While you efforts are good you might want to check local laws about removing them, those drying minnows will lay eggs before the water dries up ensuring the next generation of mosquito slayers.

 

[75g Discus Tank]

While you efforts are good you might want to check local laws about removing them, those drying minnows will lay eggs before the water dries up ensuring the next generation of mosquito slayers.

They are gambusia. They aren’t minnows.

 

[75g Discus Tank]

Are you shipping them?? Or just pick up

I could try to ship them. I've never shipped before.

 

[oOBlueOo]

They are considered invasive in some states. I'd be wary about shipping without checking local laws first.

 

[chromedome52]

Gambusia species are native to coastal parts of Texas, but I would still check on state fishing laws. And they are livebearers, so they're not going to lay eggs in the mud.

It is not unusual for Mosquitofish to die en masse when water holes dry up. Their bodies become food for the new life that appears when the water comes again. Removing them could be bad for that particular mudhole.

 

[75g Discus Tank]

Gambusia species are native to coastal parts of Texas, but I would still check on state fishing laws. And they are livebearers, so they're not going to lay eggs in the mud.

It is not unusual for Mosquitofish to die en masse when water holes dry up. Their bodies become food for the new life that appears when the water comes again. Removing them could be bad for that particular mudhole.

I checked the TPWD website, and gambusia aren’t even recognized as a fish with bag limits. Idk if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I will call them tomorrow to see if I’m doing something illegal or not.

 

[yukondog]

Sounds like your good to go than. Must of had a brain fart on the egg than. We catch them here a use them for fish bait. Have keept them in tanks before and they did very well. Good luck

 

[CanadianFishFan]

I'm always looking in puddles for fish (even thought that will never happen) Or even I hope to find a betta in a cup on the side of the road....(I think I'm crazy to find that xD)

 

[75g Discus Tank]

In total, I saved 200-250 of them.

Also, I'm curious on the ID.

How do I tell the species of mosquitofish apart?

 

[chromedome52]

The two primary species of Gambusia in the US are the Eastern, G. holbrooki, and the Western, G. affinis. At one time they were considered to be the same species; telling them apart requires an ichthyologist. Given your geographic location, yours are almost certainly G. affinis.

 

[75g Discus Tank]

What should I feed them for now?

I’m thinking naturally occurring inverts in my filter pond like scuds and daphnia. The problem is that I don’t have a lot at this time of year.

Same goes for insect larvae like mosquito larvae.

I fed them some chopped up shrimp that they went crazy over.

Tomorrow, I will feed them a bit of bloodworms.

 

[yukondog]

When I had some after a few days they started to take flake food and live food 2x week.