# Collection Trip del November~



## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

I thought to start this thread to detail how the collection trip went down. Pictures will also be posted in due time. A definitely *BIG thanks* goes out to Jerry for taking his time to show us what abundant aquatic plant and fish treasures we have in our giant backyard that is Houston


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

C'mon with the pics already! I am all excited!

It never ceases to amaze me that avid outdoor types are clueless when asked about local (and not obscure) critters. For example , around here Darters and Madtoms. I want to see your Southwestern stuff.

Everything in our Hobby is common somewhere.


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

Yea, whad up Paul. I wanna see pics! Too bad I missed out  

Thanh


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

bring the pics


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

Any pictures yet? 
Regards,
Luis


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Luis, how did you catch turn out?


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

I kept the minnows and the pigmy sun fish only they are in a quarantine tank with a sponge filter and a HOB filter to keep them happy. I will medicate them for parasites as soon as they start eating.
Regards,
Luis


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

cool

take pics of them if you can
I want to see them in a more relaxed environment (other than a bucket)
Also what were the water perameters that they came form? What are you keeping them in now?


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Yup Luis would love to see some pics too.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

Well I couldn't save any of the water to test since when We arrived at Rudy's house the fish did not look that good any more so we went to city pets to sort them and change the water. Soon after they got their color back and so far there has been no casualties. I will do a water change today and feed them live brine shrimp since they don’t care for anything dry so far.
The tank water is 72~75 and I am using water from my tap KH is 3 and Ph 7.3 they don’t seem to be suffering in any way other than the darting and trashing when I approach the tank so I guess this is normal when it comes to wild caught fish the first few days.
I have no camera, so I will ask Paul to come and picture the fish later this month when he have some time.
Cheers,
Navarro


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Good deal

Do you have any plants with them now?


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

Not at the moment but they will get plants eventually, I am thinking of doing something with Eleocharis parvula, prosepinaca palustris and that nice Lipmnophila spp. we found all over the place.
Cheers,
Luis


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Just asking.
I would throw some plants in there just to calm them down if the are darting around too much.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

I most definitely have to do that, I have lost 2 pigmy sunfish probably due to stress! On a different note as I was doing a water change yesterday I noticed how well the minnows shoal! But if I remember correctly Jerry mention that they are hunters and will kill anything smaller than them specially shrimps!
I will keep you posted. 
BTW Paul can we see some pictures? Please!!!!!
Best regards,
Navarro


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Yeah, where' mah pitchures???



--Nikolay


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

I apologize for the delays, guys. Been busy at work lately but no excuses. The sunfish deserve to be seen! I will hop on over to CP to take pictures THEN upload all the rest. Give me one more day, kind gentlemen


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

The pigmy sun fish are having it rough I can find anything to make them eat I lost 2 more yesterday! Water is good the minnows are eating just fine and I don't know what else to do. If you have any ideas please let me know ASAP.
Regards,
Navarro


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Did you put any plants in yet? I would just float in some java moss, nothing special.
Have you tried to feed them bloodworms yet? That seems to be a more naural food then brine shrimp.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

I have plants in there now, but I will have to get the worms since I don't have any.
Regards,
Luis


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Luis , Probably adding a lot of dried oak leaves would help. The water we got them from had a lot of tannins.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

The water is soft already so I will put the fish in a new tank with ADA substrate as soon as I can find Amazonia I only need one 9L bag but there is only Amazonia II available at the moment.
No pictures yet? =(
Cheers,
Luis


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

any luck on feeding?


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Sorry for the delays, guys! Here are the pictures I took of the collection trip. It was alot of fun hanging with the guys as well as having Jerry to explain the different plants(not just aquatics) and animals associated with that particular area. A definitely informative and entertaining day for all of us. The day ended when we had our sips at the Star Bucks as well as getting some cool plants from Mike at the ADG.

The first locale where we began our collection trek...









Here, Jerry tries his luck at netting us some fish, including Gambusia, Sunfish, and pygmy Sunfish(which strangely all bore the initials of *'L.N'*...









Some plant species Luis said is extremely popular in European Dutch aquascapes...









A Limnophila species(somebody please correct me if I am mistaken)...









Ludiwigia sp.....was it palustris or repens>









A close-up shot of the Limnophila flowering(again, those who went and remember what it was, let me know)









The typical waterway where we found aquatic plants and fish in abundance...


















More pictures in the subsequent post.....


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

*Collection Trip del November Pt II*

Looks shallow but actually it was not(just ask Bhushan)...









Jerry pointing out what different aquatic plants were.....









The place was littered with waterlilies(certainly would've been a grander view during the summer when they bloomed in-sync)









Bhushan holding a Bacopa sp.









More waterlilies.....









The Limnophila was everywhere and occured in patches here and there...









A Ludigia sp that floats at the surface...someone say the species name 









More pictures in *Part III*.....


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

*Collection Trip del November Pt III*

Water hyacinth with some kind of fish, possibly minnows of some sort...









The view of the third locale where Luis cried to see some alligator(but thankfully there were none...)









The small stream was beyond these trees and bushes...









The day was sunny with some wind...









The only aquatic fauna we found...a water scorpion









The view from the riverbank...









Nothing much at this final location but the view was certainly great for a group shot 









And that is all the pictures from the trip. Hope you all enjoyed viewing them as much as we enjoyed the trip itself. More trips definitely will be planned with Jerry if he has time Thanks to all the members who participated. It was fun seeing you all. Our backyard that is Houston definitely has more treasures than we could ever behold!


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

sucks, I really missed out.


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

I think next time we do this I will try to get a cast net
Great pics Paul, much better than mine (glad I did not post)


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

Thanks Paul. Looks like lots of cool place. How about a trip around spring?

Thanh


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

We need to start planning the spring collection trip soon! As well as having the "special guest" We talk about so much.
Regards,
Luis


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Lets get together to discuss next years's events. What we want to do and when we want to do it.
Insead of letting the year slip away like 07, lets get 08 planned.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

It was definitely a great trip. Jerry is now our honorary member for LIFE!!!

BTW, this kindda gave me the idea to perhaps do something similar to the guys from CAU. Let's set up something similar where we put forth our serious scapes only. I think this is a great idea because it serves as both inspiration AND motivation to get our wet thumbs going. You know how we all are so busy with everyday life? But we aren't the only people who are busy in the world and yet there are others who are exponentially more dedicated. Why? Because they set their minds to it. Who isn't busy? Who doesn't have other things to do? But that is what dedication means. Right? Just an idea I want to throw into the ring to get the hobby going, ESPECIALLY in the Houston area AND NASH. Sometimes a little competition might be a good thing. USA!!!

Maybe a tentative title,"*The NASH Corner*", where we only post our serious scapes that we will enter into contests. Sure, getting recognition and competition isn't the most important thing BUT it does motivate and inspire us to do better and bring the hobby to a higher level.

With the funding we have, we definitely should at least host a website where we can post NASH related events as well as aquascape corners similar to those at CAU. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.

Just getting fired up thinking about this.....


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Thanks for the pics Paul! I agree with the thought of posting pics of serious tanks. I have refrained from posting pics of my unfinished tanks as a matter of fact. I may post a beginning and end photo after it's finished, but doubt I will post up photos of a tank I just set up any more. 

I agree guys we really need to set up some kind of schedule. I just kinda ran out of ideas that were feasible this year. My 2 ideas I would like to see as meetings are still a photography lesson & a full tank set-up. I may be able to do the full tank set-up sometime in the near future (current scape is almost done) if anyone is interested.

John

P.S. I found a ton of fissidens & moss at a park my son goes to if anyone is interested. It's all emersed, but should be able to convert fairly easy.


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Paul gr8 pics. Thanks a lot.


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