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Posts: 229
| what size tank do you guys think i should start out with a couple of 2 inch spotted muskies?im getting a few and thought a good starting tank would be 55 gallon but if i should get a diferent size just let me know.also how long would a 2in pure strain muskie live in a 55 gallon before I would have to upgrade to a different size?
Edited by Ajohnson 1/10/2008 7:37 PM
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I would give it about a year before you need to look larger. We have a 125 gallon tank. Had a northern and a tiger in there.... when they reached 20 inches or so, the could no longer turn around in the tank very well.. The tank was only 18 inches wide.
Steve |
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Posts: 2024
| Your 55 will be fine for a 2 incher. Once they reach about 13-14" then it's time to start looking bigger as they really have a tough time turning around. Our guy is getting (has been) too big for our tank, makes me cringe when I see him try to turn around. |
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Posts: 229
| whats size aquarium do you have esox50? |
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| 55 |
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Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Check here for some additional info.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=29...
Aaron |
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| if you really like musky,buy a swimming pool.im sure none of you are able to maintain a musky for life.why you dont get a pickerel?they are more active,smaller.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pupu0Jr2vAo
just need a 200g and the fish will stay happy for years
Edited by ron f 1/16/2008 4:58 AM
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Posts: 229
| hey ron f i thought of getting a pickeral but i didnt because i couldnt get my hands on one i know of lots of places that i could but im more interested in muskie because i can get one easier. |
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| yeah they are hard to get
good luck to you |
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Posts: 291
Location: Madison, WI | I havent had fish in my tank for awhile as its in storage but when you look at expanding, look into a 75 or 90 gallon tank. Those are wider than the 55's or 125's. You can get a 90 gallon that I believe is 20" or 24" wide, more of a square shape than a long retangle.
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Posts: 2024
| Tested out my new underwater digital camera the other day. Here are a few pics from "feeding time". If I get around to it I'll try and put some vid up of him feeding.
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Posts: 229
| hey esox50 that would be cool if you post a video of your muskie feeding sometime. |
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Posts: 101
Location: mn | You should get close to a year out of a 55 gallon if they are pure strain muskies and not tigers. Tigers grow real fast And eat everything. Be carefull with 2 in the same tank. We've had to seperate a few that tried to eat or just kill the other. Wont be a problem for a while though. I would recomend a 75 gallon or so. It will last a little longer. Ron F gave me a good idea, Build my own tank. I am looking into it right now. Mister t our tiger is moving to cabelas but im looking to get building for the next batch of fish.
thnks
mike
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Posts: 229
| so thats what you decide to do with "mister t",take him to cabelas...that would be the best thing to do though is cabelas giving you anything in exchange?my local cabelas gave this guy like a $100 gift card for donating a fish to them. |
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| good news smellikebass!guys why you dont add some sand whit natural green plant like vallisneria or ceratophyllum?they are easy to keep,just need some good tube of 7000k and and little pellets of fertilizer.last pics is really nice
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Posts: 101
Location: mn | Im just hoping he makes it in the big tank. I was told the last tiger lasted less then 24 hours before it got eaten By the tank piggy. I thinks shes 45- 47 inches. It will be interesting. A fine sand bottom would be easy to clean. Easier then smallrock or gravel. As for the giftcard, I am trying to wrangle a new graph. Im thinking lorancex27. Anything would help. |
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Posts: 101
Location: mn | some advice off the top of my head,get the tank enviroment up and running for at least a couple weeks before you introduce fish. Test the levels to make sure the tank is stable. Also, have the tank in a good location out of the way. People walking by the fish alot can really scar them. A little floor movement can really shake a big tank of water. Have a good lid or tank cover. Clean tank bottom every 2 or 3 days. !/4 of the tank water every clean. Use a timer for the lights and keep the tank out of nateral light. Dont feed your fish bait shop dinner. They like the good stuff from the pet store. Muskies will eat most other native fish so tank sharing is not a good idea. Tank sharing = $$$ muskie meals. Really once you get set up, it's easy ans alot of fun. Did you end up finding some fish? |
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| the problem whit new tank is there is no bacteria called nitrobacter,they convert nitrites in a less toxic stuff called nitrate.if you dont want wait a couple of weeks you just have to add a couple of cheap fish,or just squeeze your old filter sponge,there is a plenty of those good bacteria inside it.
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Posts: 101
Location: mn | We put fish in to create benif. bacteria. Good point, very important. we had walleye, crappies, sunfish, crayfish, suckers. |
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| who rules this tank the crappie or the sunfish? |
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Posts: 101
Location: mn | The sunfish is the toughest, and the smartest fish in the tank. The muskies could never catch up with him. The sunny would push bait fish out of the structures when the muskies got to close. He also likes to pic on the crappies. He always eats before he lets the crappies eat. The crayfish is also very tough. He comes out of the cracks nipping at the dumb crappies all the time. Our muskies were never interested in the crayfish. To hard to see/catch in the cracks or on the bottom. One time a muskie pinned a sucker under a rock and the crayfish ate his eyes and then his face off. the sucker didnt last to long. Kind of gross but pretty cool. Overall, I like the sunny's and walleyes the best in a tank enviroment, but the muskies are cool to. Ive learned alot about these fish! |
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Posts: 561
Location: Monee, Illinois | I had 4 musky and 2 walleye in a 100 gallon and 4 of the six are swimming in a hidden lake and two where eating by the other four. I had a channel cat with them.. The musky (barred) got to about 19 inches and the eyes about 16 inches, all fish came from the Minn Musky farm. I had them for 5 years, taught them all to eat Freeze dried Krill. I have 5 fish tanks in my house from 29 to 200 and the game fish where the best so far.....
pga |
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| Just worked out a deal with the new Bass Pro in Bolingbrook, IL and they have agreed to take "Flash" our muskie from us. After much deliberation as to his fate I decided it would be cool to further his life as an educational piece. It'll be tough to see the little guy go, but it's nice to know he's in a safe place and will be well looked after (hey, after 1.5 years you can get pretty attached!). I hope Flash becomes a "muse" of sorts for a future fisheries biologist!!! |
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| where can you get the lil guys? I want to drop a few in my tank I jsut got rid of my fish. |
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Posts: 2024
| Minnesota Muskie Farm. I got mine as a left-over from a research project, though. Was lucky in that regard. |
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Location: north west wisconsin | I have a 90 gallon tank for sale for $250 18x24x48 |
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Location: Seattle | How hard is the up keep for muskies in tank?
I was thinking of getting a pickerel,any preferred size of tank? I would love to have a muskie or pike but don't think I would have the room and probably way to hard to get. |
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Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Kevin,
Read above, it seems as though most of your questions are answered in this thread. However quck answers to your questions:
Hard to keep them? Easy answer is yes AND no.
-Yes: compared to other fish like tetras, bettas, and fancy aquarium fish, they're relatively easy to keep in a tank. However....you NEED a big tank, as they grow fast (thinking at least 55 gallons for 1-3 even fingerlings. Yes, they grow that fast. You will NEED more filtration for this tank than you would need for usual aquarium fish, being that after a very short amount of time they will ONLY take live food ('crawlers or minnows), which means large amount of waste, which also means a need for a ton of filtration. You HAVE TO have a top for the tank, being that they WILL jump out very soon after being put in the tank. On the good side, you dont NEED a light, nor do you need a heater for said tank.
Also....bluegills/perch/walleye/catfish = good tank mates. Bass = bad tank mates.
I hope this helps.
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Posts: 7
Location: Seattle | I know this is a total long shot but can't hurt to ask.
Is anyone aware of where to purchase a pickerel? I'm located near Seattle and can't find an "exotic fish store" The far eastern side of the state has them in lakes but I think its illegal to catch and then bring home. If it was legal,it would be a 4-5 hour drive. So,I would be pushing my luck.
Thanks
Kevin |
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Posts: 7049
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | http://www.minnesotamuskiefarm.com/aquariums.html |
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