I want to go look for wild Texas cichlids

[HERM]

I would quarantine anything you catch. Our waters are pretty polluted and you don't know if the fish has some kind of disease or parasite that may transfer to your cichlids. Also, you mentioned you have one frontosa. Feeding them live fish will get them wanting to eat your fish that you are planning to put with them.

+1

[mistahoo]

My creek is a great place for fish but I haven't seen any cichlids. But then again I haven't done a cast net!

You could leave a minnow trap to catch smaller fish as well. A few members have had success catching juveniles in our waters with them.

[Johnsbra123]

Yeah I think I might start catching/selling wild fish because my creek gets a lot of fish! I will just house them in my 5 gallon and if I don't sell them then I can just release them back!

[mistahoo]

Yeah I think I might start catching/selling wild fish because my creek gets a lot of fish! I will just house them in my 5 gallon and if I don't sell them then I can just release them back!

Careful with selling them. It's illegal to sell or trade any native caught fish in Texas without a permit. I don't think there's anything against giving them away though.

[Johnsbra123]

Hah the minnows are too easy to catch! I put bread in a bottle, lower it, then I have about 100 or so in it when I pull it back up! But I know they bring a lot of fish!

[Johnsbra123]

O snap! If I catch enough then I will think about it but for now I will experiment! Thanks for the information!

[mistahoo]

Hah the minnows are too easy to catch! I put bread in a bottle, lower it, then I have about 100 or so in it when I pull it back up! But I know they bring a lot of fish!

Are you talking about minnows or mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis)?

[Johnsbra123]

Mosquito fish.

[Johnsbra123]

I caught a deep purple perch once that had a bright yellow dot on the gill, does anyone know what that was?

[mistahoo]

I caught a deep purple perch once that had a bright yellow dot on the gill, does anyone know what that was?

Deep purple? That sounds interesting. Only thing that comes to mind is a Orangespotted Sunfish that may turn purple when you pull them out of the water.

[mistahoo]

Mosquito fish.

I fed mosquito fish to my fish before but after quarantining them for a couple weeks. It's not worth the trouble though. I'd rather go and get pellets from the store than go through the hassle.

[Johnsbra123]

Yeah. The perch was what you were talking about wasn't what I caught! It was all purple with alittle yellow spot with a hump on its head.

[mistahoo]

Yeah. The perch was what you were talking about wasn't what I caught! It was all purple with alittle yellow spot with a hump on its head.

I grew up fishing in saltwater. Only fished a couple times in freshwater, so I wouldn't know.

[mistahoo]

What did you do with the perch?

[Johnsbra123]

I release it because I was fly fishing with a cricket. I fly fish ponds a lot and I have seen some cool ones. I fish salt more though.