Where to find wild mollies in kzn

Hi everyone, I was wondering,does anyone know where to catch wild mollies from,I heard that this one guy from camperdow went to a river and just caught tons of mol lies,I'm not shure if this is true but please let me know where about is a good place to catch wild guppies,minnows ,and wild mollies, thanks

 

Interesting?

 

mollies are not indigenous to SA.
they are from Mexico i believe. but if u heard of someone catching tons in camperdown then most probably someone must have released in the wild

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Hi there

There are a handful of non-native fishes - particularly livebearers - that have either intentionally or unintentionally been released into a number of systems across SA. Usually either aquarium dumpings, or placed there by officials (years ago) for mosquito control.

To my knowledge, mollies were not among these species. You should be able to find swordtails, guppies, and mosquitofish right across coastal KZN, as I have. Most have reverted back to their natural colours, which IMO, are much better than the domesticated forms.

If somebody has found mollies, that would be interesting, since I do not think they have previously been recorded as an invasive species in SA to date.

Regards,

 

Ok,what do you think I will find in a local pond ,there have been wild guppies but not minnows, do you know what conditions minnows survive in?

 

Swordtails,where did you originally find them?.I'm going to try some local ponds do you think I will find any there?

 

Guppies are very common, but the other species a lot less so. Which species of minnow are you referring to? Like white cloud minnows? I don't think you'll find any populations established in South Africa...

There are other native fish species, including barbs and other minnow-like fishes. However you will need a permit to collect them. If you're interested in native fishes, consult the book Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa (Paul Skelton). It'll give you a good idea of what to find where.

Other fishes common in KZN are Mozambique tilapia (they get quite large), and southern mouthbrooders.

Swordtails I have found in streams in two areas - Durban North region, and Richards Bay. I do believe you might find them elsewhere, too.

Again, I reiterate about being careful about collecting fishes from freshwater. Many KZN rivers pass through nature reserves (or "green zones") and are no-take zones, and with most water bodies that you collect from you will need a permit for regardless. Wild fishes also are prone to carrying diseases and parasites, too. Finally, watch out for your own safety - a lot of people live in the bushes in KZN, not all of them friendly; second, bilharzia is present in a few systems, especially as you go below 500m altitude.

 

Will take your advice,what do you mean by bilharzia?

 

Bilharzia is a parasitic worm that causes disease in humans. You pick it up when you're messing around in freshwater in low-lying areas. It becomes more common the further north you go, but you can still catch it as far south as Durban.

If you catch it early and get treated, it's not so bad, and again, the likelihood of catching it isn't big. It isn't the worst thing you can catch while you're playing in a stream. But caution should be used nonetheless.

 

Oh,ok I will be very car full when I'm around that areas,do you think pietermaritzburg only will be fine from that kind of worm?,if I do go down to Durban will take extra caution

 

I don't think there is a big risk in Pietermaritzburg at all. In any water body, though, take precautions. There is more to worry about than just parasites.

I don't know what you'll find in Maritzburg... the only fish I've personally ever seen in that region are bass, carp, and guppies. I just checked a local collection record, and apparently you should be able to find one or two species of local barb, maybe (exotic) sunfish too.

 

Ok thanks for your time ,will be going to one local pond this weekend and let you know what I find,the last time I went there was literally a ton of tadpoles and some guppies in one pond ,so I hope there will be more guppies

 

Are,sunfish compatable with guppies?

 

Nope, not at all. They're predators that grow to 30cm, and very hungry ones too.

Just a small oversight I forgot to mention... be aware of SA laws regarding invasive species. A lot of fish present in freshwaters across SA that are exotic and are deemed invasive. That is to say, government has taken strict measures to control the activities and movement of these species. Capture and transport of certain species is prohibited, and should you be caught may be liable to penalties. This includes capture and transport for aquaristic purposes.

You can find the full list by following this link. You can browse the rest of that website to see how the laws may affect you and your activities. You will see in the list in the link I provided you that sunfish (listed there as Bluegill) are prohibited. As are a number of non-native species that you might see regularly.

Once again, be careful.