redfin

[Peng Huang]

Is it allowed to keep redfins in tanks in Victoria?
Is there anyone who supplies the fingerlings of redfins?

[RupertofOZ]

No... and ... no...

It is "illegal" to transport Redfin from where ever they are captured... they are supposed to be left to die on the bank... penalty $10,000...

Those that "might" have tried them in AP systems ( ;) )... have found them to be both slow growing... and almost impossible to get onto a pellet... and have needed to "live" feed them... or substitute bits of meat, meal etc...

[fishfood]

I have just come back from echuca and a fish shop in the main drag [special this weekend redfin ] i dident try some

[bill newton]

since when has redfin been outlawed in victoria?? - they were a lovely fish when introduced by the early settlers - they were english perch - a preferred species
i can remember when european carp devastated the southern river systems - as far as i know the rivers are still infested with carp - redfin were the good guys

[Mantis]

I just got a copy of the Vic recreational fishing guide and there is a bag limit on redfin so they are not illegal.
If there is a bag limit then why cant fisheries breed them , seems silly

[RupertofOZ]

Mantis, you're correct that Redfin in Victoria (and I think WA)... were not declared a noxious fish... until recently...

I believe that the new national noxious species list now excludes them in all states...

Not only because of their devasting effect on other native species, but due to the fact that they have been found to transmit ENH virus...

The above is the reason that they're not produced as a hatchery fish, and there are no fingerling stock faclities in australia...

Recently, one of the aboriginal councils in WA, at Collie.... has applied to farm them in cages... with stock coming from an NZ facility that exports "eggs" into Europe...

[Mantis]

When I get my new system up and running I will ask around to see if anyone is finding young reddies anywhere , though it might be the wrong time of year
Sometimes people get loads of little reddies when dragging for bait, or little ones are biting like crazy somewhere.
Only worry is their canabilistic tendencies

[RupertofOZ]

And those on the BYAP forum that have tried to keep wild caught reddies in AP...

Have nearly all failed miserably... being unable to get them onto a pellet feed...

[fishfood]

I have three atm started at 1/2 in long they are now 2 1/4 in long they are in an aquariam in the glasshouse and they are living of algie

[Mantis]

Yeah thats a big worry and I have read that. I just love the taste of them

[Mantis]

ahh haa, so it can be done :D

[RupertofOZ]

That's interesting F&F.... considering that anyone else has only reported minimal shortlived success by feeding "live" feeds, worms etc... or ground meat...

And REdfin aren't reported as being primarily, or significantly vegetarian...

Even the folks in NZ have reported great difficulties...

[fishfood]

I wouldent call it success i started with 20 and lost most of them in the first 2 months these 3 or 4 have been there 12 months now every now and then i chuck in a pinch of barra feed dust [once every 2 weeks]

[dbird]

I am not writing them off yet,I have some and they are doing reasonably well and some are just about big enough for the pan.What I like about them is that they have survived the hotest summer and the the coldest winter with the water temperature dropping to just five degres C ,I met someone recently who has a friend who has the feeding side worked out and he thinks they are great.When i find out more I will keep you posted.
The trouble is when you have trout and barra is that you have two periods of the year when you have no fish .I lost all my tilapia when the heater failed.

[acicula]

I came across this report (http://www.bim.ie/uploads/reports/Aquaculture%20Explained%20Issue%20no%2024%20-%20Farming%20of%20Eurasian%20Perch%20Volume%201%20 Juvenile%20production%20.pdf) on eurasian(redfin) perch in aquaculture systems. According to experiments it is possible to get redfins onto pellet feed, but they are extremely slow growing.

[dbird]

I am reasonably happy with mine but there is a big variation in their size.I was sitting next to a fellow on a plane recently and he has a friend who grows them and feeds them on meal worms and spirulina which he grows himself.I am still trying to get the spiulina,the meal worms are doing OK.Mine have lived through the hottest summer that we have had and the water temp got down to 5 c in the winter and I have only lost two and I think one of them because it ate a earwig.The trout go belly up when the water warms up and I lost all my tilapia when the heater broke.
Cheers Don.