> As a new keeper of native fish (rainbows at the moment), I have two questions...
>
> 1) Does any one know of any good books on Australian Native fishes, I
> already have the Gerald Allen book on rainbowfishes in nature and the
> aquarium, but i would like to know more on the goby's and gudgeons you all
> talk about, Not to mention other fresh water species as well.
>
> 2) Would goby and or gudgeon fishes be compatable with Bristle nose Catfish
> and Bronze Corys???
>
> Thanks for you time, I will now go back into lurking mode :-)
>
>
There is an Orange Merrick book called "Australian Native fishes for
Aquariums". It gives good basic info on many fish that can be kept in
aquaria, including the nasties. There is a good section on Gobies and
gudgeons, with one major problem; supply.
There are only three commonly available species of goby gudgeon in your
local fish store. Firetail gudgeons (Hypseleotris galii), empire gudgeons
(Hypseleotris compressor) and the purple spotted gudgeon Mogurnda
0mogurnda. The former would do well with your tank, the latter may not
depending upon size of tank, specimens and the aggresiveness of the gudgeons.
There are some others that are available through collection and or
finding somonewho is breeding them. These are the desert gobies
(chlamydogobius eremus etc), redigobius bikolanus, oxyseleotris nullipora.
There are some others in this size class that are perches (the Yarra
pygmy perch and the another whose name escapes me for the moment
(Nannoperca....)). There are also some interestin ambassids as well.
The best thing that you can probably do is to get into contact with your
friendly local ANGFA group and talk to them and see what is available. It
will be mostly rainbows, but you may be able to persevere and find
somebody keeping and breeding a gudgeon or two. A quick posting to this
list with an address for yourself would get you a contact number for
ANGFA. Perhaps that is already on the information sheet that new
subscribers get, Andrew-Alan?
Hope this helps
Peter