We go fishing in the summer, last year my youngest caught his first fish, it was and is a pumpkinseed bluegill, very pretty.
newayz, he is fed every day. Sometimes we buy minnows b/c that's what they eat in the wild. He is in a 30 gallon tank and we take good care of him. I'm just wondering if there would be any law against keeping a wild panfish as a pet when you have no plans to release it or eat it. We couldn't just throw him in he yard when we got home ya'know. He was the only fish that made the ride home w/o dying. PS the other fish that did not make it were fileted and frozen . Yes it's an odd question to put in the pet section but i am just curious
2007-02-23 20:08:23 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
If you have a fishing license for your state, there is no laws which state you don't have to eat your fish. You can have them in your ponds or tanks.
your license gives you that right. You cannot however SELL your fish for profit. Nor can you breed to sell native fish without an additional breeders license.
My girl friend has a 150 gallon tank in her sporting goods store and we've caught many fish and placed them into it. Of course once they get too big, other than the bass, we turn them loose.
NO STATE in the US will fine you for having them. I am on the womens bass tour (Not the pro tour) and I have fished in every state. You are fine with your fishie.
If you need further guidence either look up the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) in your area or email me directly FishQueen_2000 @yahoo
2007-02-24 02:42:04 · answer #1 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are laws against keeping game fish in many states, but that may not be true for your location or even if it is the pumpkinseed may not be classified a game fish in your state. In either event, those laws are at best difficult to enforce and I seriously doubt you would ever have a game warden come looking lol.
It sounds like you are taking good care of the fish and using this as a lerning tool. I couldn't possibly say you are doing anythig wrong.
MM
2007-02-24 02:09:37 · answer #2 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I say whatever... as long as your son takes care of it and you guys don't up an eat it traumatizing the poor little guy... whatever- let him have a pan fish for a pet! I didn't realize there were pet fish any cheaper than a goldfish! HA!
I wouldn't stress abou laws over one fish... If you're really that concerned call your states wildlife and gaming commission.... they'll point you in the right direction.
2007-02-23 20:18:04 · answer #3 · answered by annathespian 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are doing nothing wrong on any level. Have a blast with your pet. It sounds like you have had him for a year so you are doing a great job, and they are quite hardy anyways. Keeping native fishes is actually something only enthusiasts usually do, but it is great that you are keeping him. As far as collection laws, if you can cook him you can keep him :)
2007-02-24 00:59:28 · answer #4 · answered by G&L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's not illegal to take good care of caught fish. but i would like to tell you that there is no way for us to take better care fo those fish from the wild. why?
first, their habitat if pretty much different from waht we can offer on an aquarium. the temperature, ph level, and other bacterias that make them healthy.
second, we are not that professional to handle those kinds of fish. Even those sold in the petshop undergo stages before transferring them or totally puting them in an aquarium.
I experienced before, we had a company outing, and we enjoyed fishing alot. we cvaught some fish, and instead of cooking it, i brought it home. the fish did not even survive even a day.
2007-02-23 21:16:43 · answer #5 · answered by john 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I had some bluegill I kept in a 100 gallon aquarium. They ate minnows also, and loved worms as a treat.
I had one named "Gill" who became very tame. He'd come to my hand to eat out of it, and would run alongside me while I walked by the tank. He knew I meant food was coming, but I also think he liked my company.
They become quite tame!
When I let him go, he followed me up the creekside bank as I walked away and then he gave up, because I hurried. I was 17 and I cried my eyes out, when I finally let him go. But I let him go in a cattle pasture creek, that was on my parent's ranch and I knew he would live a long life there.
:)
I love the fact that you kept your bluegill. What possibly could be wrong about loving a fish?
2007-02-23 20:44:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
i've heard of people successfully keeping pumpkinseeds, so i don't see any problems there.
i wouldn't recommend ever releasing him back though. fish tank environments can mean the fish picks up diseases not so common in the wild such as ich, if they're then put back in the wild, they'll pass that on to wild fish.
2007-02-23 21:05:38 · answer #7 · answered by catx 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are laws against taking fish that are under certain sizes, fish that may be considered endangered and there are laws against releasing fish you have caught if they are considered pests in that area, however if you are not sure you could just ring up your local wildlife dept and ask.
2007-02-24 00:35:17 · answer #8 · answered by Evelyn O 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Anything is better than killing it.
Fishing is a barbaric and pointless "sport" unless you are fishing purely for a source of food.
2007-02-24 00:53:10 · answer #9 · answered by Mighty C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not illegal, but there is a slim chance that you are providing all of the Ph requirements and stuff like that that it would need. If you are, good for you on being a responsible pet owner, but if done enough, that could destroy an entire pond's ecosystem.
It actually sounds like you did your research, and I salute you on that.
2007-02-23 20:17:24 · answer #10 · answered by Jake S 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋