Catching Darters, Sculpins, And More for My Native Tank

[@TheFishingNomad]

I know the grass is always greener, but I'd love it live somewhere with streams like these so close to home.

[@RikoStan]

"I got a bunch of creepy, crawly, little bug looking things, I'm not even going to put my hand in and pick up." LOL, good call and I'm with ya on that choice. Really want to do this when the water unhardens in the Spring!

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Lol

[@TheQueensWish]

The quick trip down to the stream made for a fun video. It will be interesting to see how they do. The tank looks homey.

[@IsabellaM._]

I love it down by the stream. Thank you 😊

[@veltape]

creek videos are my fav.

[@roderickrayrutledge2740]

I used to bring these back home after camping trips in Oklahoma and put them in my aquarium. I never had them for long before my friends talked me into selling them. 😁 They change color according to the water and mood. I would bring the water from Sulphur back home too.

[@Downbad1k]

I like your technique on catching them. Ive been looking for some darters for my native tank too...and as a kid id catch them just by flipping rocks and grabbing by hand. Well im too old and slow to do that now days so havent had any luck. Going out to try your method tomorrow!

[@andrewderksen3342]

Took the kids to the river yesterday And there were Sculpins everywhere So we caught some I put the smallest one in my 55g Seems to like it 🤷 hope he survives 👍

[@chriss2838]

Loved this video.

[@jackanddan]

Super fun creek tomorrow Dan....hopefully if there are new folks in the menacing gate house they will be cool with you continuing your adventures there👍👍

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

My wife looked up the address and that house sold about a year ago, so it's definitely different people.

[@T.J-and-Soul]

Ok so tell us about the pumpkin!

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Lol

[@fishfolk4059]

This is amazing. Just got a pair of Rainbow Darters. Had I known it was literally this easy . . . probably would have gone down the street and gotten them in our waterways!

[@KevenGraves]

Hows it going with them?

[@fishfolk4059]

@@KevenGraves Rainbow Darters are fine. Stayin’ alive! I had brought in some Flagfish, but the male Flaggie was a bully. He got to go!

[@KevenGraves]

@@fishfolk4059 nice. What do you feed the rainbows.

[@fishfolk4059]

@@KevenGraves mix of bug bites spirulina flakes, color enhancing flakes, frozen blood worms, and frozen brine shrimp

[@fishfolk4059]

@@KevenGraves Rainbow Darters are doing fine. Putting on weight and size. I'm getting another pair so that the males will display. I'm also ordering two pairs of Etheostoma zonale - Banded Darters. Really nice Green striped darters.

[@gregmeissner9960]

I love this stuff, guess I never really grew up. By the way I'd call that a road, not a street (and I'd say it proudly!).

[@spectralaves]

That larger specimen appears to be a stoneroller, nice!

[@AmazingDavidIllusionist]

Let's goooo !

[@Rigmagog]

Dababy

[@canadiangemstones7636]

You might enjoy microfishing for your little natives!

[@2A_supporter]

He don’t wanna do all that it’s way faster and easier to just bet them up

[@markdecker2724]

Curious to know, what state is this?

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Maryland

[@StoneAquatics]

Love these type of videos you inspired me to do a tank with wild mosquito fish

[@KevenGraves]

Got some rainbows. Really wanna sculpin. Theu are only in north eastern part of Oklahoma. Its a goal tho

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

it's funny I am emotionally attached to those sculpin. i guess it's because they're not here where i live . so they seem rare and to be protected , but now i see they are prolific where you live . i would love to get 5 to 10 of them! i feel pretty much the same way you about the naturalness of the tank though . you should put some ghost shrimp in this tank , they too are native to the U.S. you inspire me Dan ! i've got an empty 75 i'm going to set up like this.

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

That'll be awesome. And yes, these sculpin are super common. The shrimp is a good idea.

[@2A_supporter]

So weird to see cause I find sculpin in tide pools all up and down the California coast 😂

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

There are a lot of species of sculpin.

[@gekosrock1999]

What time of year was this?

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

I can't remember.

[@NetherNinja]

Welp, time to do a chemiclean treatment on the stream! 🤣

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Lol Isn't it always?

[@leyenda6149]

I just got farm-raised juvenile rainbow darters (about 2" long). My research says to feed them freeze-dried bloodworms, but I'm not convinced that is the best choice. Any suggestions you can give would be great! Thank you!

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

I've never been able to keep them alive for long enough to give any advice about them.

[@anthonyruth5606]

When u had those sunfish I wonder if had cyano bacteria in there gut so when they poop there was still spores

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

I've had it since I started. i used to bring rocks and stuff home without even brushing them off.

[@anthonyruth5606]

@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly oh well that’s why u have it

[@JacobLoebel]

My crayfish always kill my sand darters. As sad as it is, its kinda entertaining

[@goldfish761]

what is with the pumpkin

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Left over from the previous Halloween I assume.

[@keepinitreel4306]

I hope there are no state- or federally-protected darters or sculpins where you collected. FYI for those watching: harvesting fish without knowing the species can lead to accidentally taking fish that are illegal to harvest.

[@dingchat555]

Absolutely! I love the concept of catching fish for a native tank but it's irresponsible (and possibly illegal - depends on which you're more concerned about) to do so without being able to ID or even attempting to ID the species before you take them home.

[@brianbrown2207]

why no more mosquito or those black stripped ones to fill it back up?

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

They're still there. No need to replace them.

[@brianbrown2207]

@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly but there num seems to have greatly reduced from where u started with them

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

@@brianbrown2207 Not really. I've lost a few, but that's all. They're still in there, I promise.

[@thehornwortofhornwort9832]

👍

[@AndrewKilvington]

Mate you could walk that in 2 minutes rather than take the car! Lol

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

And?

[@AndrewKilvington]

Ha! 🤣

[@Chompchompyerded]

I've been called a white sucker before.

[@nathansfish8282]

Do you ever get worried about those little insects or Worms that are under they rocks or any parasites that might get inside you, because I do I can’t stand seeing those little weird creatures I get scared😂

[@DanHiteshew-oneandonly]

Lol No.

[@lexirose8189]

Some of em do have a creepy look to them! I can understand the discomfort. I like them anyways tho. Bugs and stuff are a good sign of a healthy ecosystem, especially mayfly larvae! In terms of accidentally bringing any of those critters home, I'd just scoop the fish out careful and do a proactive parasite treatment. I would do that anyways to avoid potential internal parasites too.

[@2A_supporter]

Well my guy if you did a little bit of research you’d know they are mostly beneficial besides the parasite which are rare