Tomorrow I'm getting a 50 gallon tank that was previously a salt water tank. I will be getting all the equipment I believe as well. All for free. I'm stuck wanting either a Cichlid tank, or a native tank since I live on the Elizabeth River. I don't think a 50 gallon would be quite big enough for a native tank with the bass, catfish, crappie, perch we have in the area, so I'm leaning more towards a Cichlid tank, but I'm lookin for more info on them. I am researching cichlids, and cichlid tanks, but for the people who have first hand experience with them I would like y'alls tips and tricks for a successful tank. Planted or not, I'm not big on the bare bottom look, but I would like a nice looking tank that I could have a few cichlids in that would be a nice eye catcher. My 30 gallon is doing well, I'm just currently battling some algae, and I couldn't say no to this opportunity of another tank.
New Tank
- Thread starter cricket55
- Start date
When looking at native tanks, you need to be aware of your state's laws on native species. There's a sticky with restricted fish, broken down by state.
If you are going the cichlid route, I would suggest getting ideas from the cichlid topic on here. I'm sure they will have lots of great ideas for you. First, you need to decide if you are wanting African or South American cichlids. Personally I prefer the Africans for their bright colors. But, to each his/her own. A 50gallon is a good size for cichlids. You don't need to do bare bottomed at all, and you don't need to do planted either. In fact, most cichlid tanks are not planted because aside from a few plants rooted to some driftwood cichlids make a planted tank quite difficult. If you decide on Africans, you then need to decide on which lake you want to go with -- Malawi, Victoria or Tanganyika. So, you still have many decisions to make before setting up the tank. I would go read posts in the cichlid forum, and then make your decisions.
Emily
Emily
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?80538-Illegal-Fish-Thread/page3
I don't know if that's the only/complete list in that thread for Virginia, but it's at least a start.
I don't know if that's the only/complete list in that thread for Virginia, but it's at least a start.
This is the list provided at MFK.
VIRGINIA:
4 VAC 15-30-10 - Possession, importation, sale, etc., of wild animals.
Under the authority of §§ 29.1-103 and 29.1-521 of the Code of Virginia it shall be unlawful to take, possess, import, cause to be imported, export, cause to be exported, buy, sell, offer for sale, or liberate within the Commonwealth any wild animal unless otherwise specifically permitted by law or regulation. Unless otherwise stated, for the purposes of identifying species regulated by the board, when both the scientific and common names are listed, the scientific reference to genus and species will take precedence over common names.
4 VAC 15-30-40 - Importation requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals. A. Permit required. A special permit is required and may be issued by the department, if consistent with the department's fish and wildlife management program, to import, possess, or sell those nonnative (exotic) animals listed below that the board finds and declares to be predatory or undesirable within the meaning and intent of § 29.1-542 of the Code of Virginia, in that their introduction into the Commonwealth will be detrimental to the native fish and wildlife resources of Virginia:
AMPHIBIANS:
Order Family Genus/Species Common Name
Anura Buforidae Bufo marinus Giant or marine toad*
Pipidae Xenopus spp. Tongueless or African clawed frog
Caudata mbystomatidae Ambystoma tigrium Mavortium Barred tiger salamander
A. t. Diaboli Gray tiger
A. t. Melanostictum Blotched tiger Salamander
FISH:
Order Family Genus/Species Common Name
Cypriniformes Catostomidae Ictiobus bubalus Smallmouth buffalo*
I. cyprinellus Bigmouth buffalo*
I. niger Black buffalo*
Characidae Pygopristis spp. Piranhas
Pygocentrus spp.
Rooseveltiella spp.
Serrasalmo spp.
Taddyella spp.
Cyprinidae Aristichyhys Nobilis Bighead carp*
Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass carp or white amur
Cyprinella lutrensis Red shiner
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Silver carp*
Mylopharynogodom piceus Black carp
Scardinius erythrophthalmus Rudd
Tinca tinca Tench*
Gobiesociformes Gobiidae Proterorhinus marmoratus Tubenose goby
Neogobius melanostomus Round goby
Perciformes Cichlidae Tilapia spp. Tilapia
Gymnocephalus cernuum Ruffe*
Siluriformes Clariidae All Species Air-breathing catfish
VIRGINIA:
4 VAC 15-30-10 - Possession, importation, sale, etc., of wild animals.
Under the authority of §§ 29.1-103 and 29.1-521 of the Code of Virginia it shall be unlawful to take, possess, import, cause to be imported, export, cause to be exported, buy, sell, offer for sale, or liberate within the Commonwealth any wild animal unless otherwise specifically permitted by law or regulation. Unless otherwise stated, for the purposes of identifying species regulated by the board, when both the scientific and common names are listed, the scientific reference to genus and species will take precedence over common names.
4 VAC 15-30-40 - Importation requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals. A. Permit required. A special permit is required and may be issued by the department, if consistent with the department's fish and wildlife management program, to import, possess, or sell those nonnative (exotic) animals listed below that the board finds and declares to be predatory or undesirable within the meaning and intent of § 29.1-542 of the Code of Virginia, in that their introduction into the Commonwealth will be detrimental to the native fish and wildlife resources of Virginia:
AMPHIBIANS:
Order Family Genus/Species Common Name
Anura Buforidae Bufo marinus Giant or marine toad*
Pipidae Xenopus spp. Tongueless or African clawed frog
Caudata mbystomatidae Ambystoma tigrium Mavortium Barred tiger salamander
A. t. Diaboli Gray tiger
A. t. Melanostictum Blotched tiger Salamander
FISH:
Order Family Genus/Species Common Name
Cypriniformes Catostomidae Ictiobus bubalus Smallmouth buffalo*
I. cyprinellus Bigmouth buffalo*
I. niger Black buffalo*
Characidae Pygopristis spp. Piranhas
Pygocentrus spp.
Rooseveltiella spp.
Serrasalmo spp.
Taddyella spp.
Cyprinidae Aristichyhys Nobilis Bighead carp*
Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass carp or white amur
Cyprinella lutrensis Red shiner
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Silver carp*
Mylopharynogodom piceus Black carp
Scardinius erythrophthalmus Rudd
Tinca tinca Tench*
Gobiesociformes Gobiidae Proterorhinus marmoratus Tubenose goby
Neogobius melanostomus Round goby
Perciformes Cichlidae Tilapia spp. Tilapia
Gymnocephalus cernuum Ruffe*
Siluriformes Clariidae All Species Air-breathing catfish