# Warragamba Catchment Freshwater Fish



## gillsy (Mar 11, 2011)

Hi,

Has anyone ever looked for native freshwater fish in the catchment of Warra. I'm going down to a private creek over the weekend to see what I can get for my Keelback enclosure.

Just wondering if anyone can advise what they've got previously.


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## AUSGECKO (Mar 11, 2011)

I've tried getting in there before but got stopped by the authorities, the closest I've been able to get is upper Nepean river, I have spotted Bass, freshwater eels, eel tail catfish, bull rout, smelt and herring.


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## bigfella77 (Mar 11, 2011)

I know there is a butt load of snakes in that area, I spent 6 months or more working on H.V Powerlines that run across the dam into Sydney. We started at the top of Megalong Valley through Jamieson Valley and up over Kings Table, incredible scenery and wild life and it was bloody hard work but one of the best times of my life. Being closed land it was a great experience being in an area not accessable to general public.


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## Daniel_Penrith (Mar 11, 2011)

ive been fishin there with a family friend that lives up there.... Heaps of big bass!


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## bigfella77 (Mar 11, 2011)

Ahh, but no, never looked for any fish.


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## gillsy (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm on private property so all good for authorities. 

I'm hoping to get bullrout, but i'm after small fish for tanks and for keelie food.


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## AUSGECKO (Mar 12, 2011)

Forgot to mention, Mullet, lots of mullet.


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## gillsy (Mar 12, 2011)

Mullet i'm happy with, I just don't know how big the creek is we're going to, it's permanent but not sure on size.

I hate the fact we have no rainbows in sydney! or purple spot gudgeons


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## hornet (Mar 12, 2011)

you sure you have no rainbows? Crimson spot rainbows are foundas far south as victoria, i dont know why they couldnt be found in sydney. I'm not familiar with that area but i'd assume you may come across various small fish such as smelt, galaxias, gudgeons such as fire tails, flat headded gudeons, empire gudeons, possibly pygmy perch. Good luck, let us know what you find


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## gillsy (Mar 12, 2011)

Hi Hornet, Sydney basin has none, they are on the other side of the Great Dividing Range but no in the Sydney Basin itself. Which SUCKS. They are asking aobut $10 each in pet shops

Yeah i'll get all those, I know most of the fish hence the name "gillsy" It's more i'm after specific records to see what the biodiversity is. In regards to to pygmy pearch I don't know them by name are you talking about Glass Perch, if so they are apparently found but again not common. 

Galaxis yes, but for what I want them the water is to warm, it's heated to about 27/28c. I'm hoping to get smelt and gudgeons, hopefully around the 5cm mark, and from memory I don't think i've ever found firetails over the 2cm mark.

I really want purple spots but alas not found here.


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## hornet (Mar 12, 2011)

Southern Pygmy Perch


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## Bushman (Mar 12, 2011)

This is problematic. Your tank is heated to subtropical temps but you're only going to find temperate species.


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## Sock Puppet (Mar 12, 2011)

As bushman said, 27-28C is WAY too warm for local gudgeons etc. I keep purple spotted gudgeon (these are easy to breed as well), snake head gudgeon, empire gudgeon, with their water at 22C.


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## pythons73 (Mar 12, 2011)

So will keelbacks eat any native fresh water fish,how much time do the spend in the water swimming..


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## hornet (Mar 12, 2011)

i've kept many natives at 27-28c with no problems but they were queensland collected so i guess are made to deal with the warmer temps. Empire gudgeons, fire tails, crimson spot rainbows, ornate rainbows, purple spot gudgeons all did fine at those temps



pythons73 said:


> So will keelbacks eat any native fresh water fish,how much time do the spend in the water swimming..


 
i dont know about keelbacks ut my GTS is very fussy, will only take gambusia


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## Australis (Mar 12, 2011)

One that hasnt been mentioned
Striped Gudgeon, Gobiomorphus australis (Krefft, 1864) - Australian Museum

Although the chances of finding any might be very low, keep an eye out for blue-eyes.


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## longqi (Mar 12, 2011)

Sneak into the top of Warragamba with a light rod as well

Some huge trout and bass up there


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## AUSGECKO (Mar 12, 2011)

I have caught empire gudgeons locally and successfully kept them at 28c


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## gillsy (Mar 14, 2011)

Gudgeons will be kept at 27/28 No problems, remember most of the gudgeons found down here are also found up north. 

I know galaxis, and smelts may have probelms. I ended up only getting a couple of red claw, which went into the turtle tank. 

Keels spend about 75% of the time in the water, but it depends on indiviual species. The creek we found was only a very little one, when i first saw it I knew i'd have problems. 

I need to find bigger creeks/rivers to hunt things down. I just don't have the room to breed things, that's the problem.


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