Big Blue Fish

If you're planning on going big game fishing in New Zealand, you'll need to prepare yourself to possibly catch the big one you've always dreamed of. Because the industry is well regulated and numbers are protected, there are still good numbers of fish to catch, and great spots to find them in. Taking a chartered boat out to a good spot is the perfect way to spend a day or two.

So what kinds of fish can you hope to find in New Zealand? There are a range of good sized specimens in our waters. The following are some of a Kiwi fisherman's favourites

Big Blue Fish

Big Blue Fish

Big Blue Fish

Big Blue Fish

Big Blue Fish

Big Blue Fish

If there was a prized fish that set New Zealand apart from other fishing spots, it would be this one. New Zealand boasts the largest striped marlin caught on record, and they are abundant in the waters surrounding the top half of the North Island. Many people choose to fish for them on the East Coast of New Zealand as the conditions are calmer there, however, they are also in good supply on the West Coast (though can be sporadic). The best time to catch one of these beauties is between February and May. An average sized fish comes in at between 80 and 120 kilograms and you may be lucky enough to land one around the 200 kilogram mark.

Big Blue Fish

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Did you know that reference was made to koi colors as far back as 316 AD in the Western Chin Dynasty? That's how long these wonderfully colorful fish have been written about... it's quite amazing really!

Right back then the colors of koi that were documented included black, blue, white and red... so koi colors are actually nothing new - it's just that they have been perfected through the art of selective genetic breeding.

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

But it wasn't till the 17th century that real koi breeding began in the Japanese region of Niigata Prefecture, and it was the Japanese who took the time to master the art of selective breeding. Through careful trial and error, they became the master's of selective koi breeding and they still lead the world today.

So if you seriously want to gain a firm understanding about koi fish, the different types and their variety of colors then you really need to learn some of the Japanese terminology to get a grip on the real meaning of things.

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Some of these terms will be explained further into this article, but for now let's look at a bit more of the koi fish history.

So... going back to 17th century Niigata Prefecture ... it was here that farmers started to notice that occasionally the grey carp fish would have offspring with different colors and markings. This prompted them to study the fish and their findings revealed a good number of koi with distinct and colorful patterns which they then proceeded to cultivate even further until the 19th century.

By the 19th century there were a vast number of koi breeders in Japan and now there were also many new koi color varieties emerging. Koi had become incredibly popular and were affectionately known as "the fish of nobility" but they were still only really known within the Niigata region of Japan.

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Real Butterfly Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

You will also need a decent sized pond, as they may grow up to 3 feet. You need at least a 1,000 liters of water per fish, with at least 18 inches of pond depth. The pond needs a filtration system to remove waste products, aeration to add oxygen into the water and regular care and maintenance. Don't let this put you off, looking after a pond can be as rewarding as gardening, as you add landscaping features, plants and, of course, add to your Koi fish collection.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Certain types of small Koi may only cost a few dollars, but the rarer varieties and sizes can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. To offset costs, owners are known to sell off their extra fish once they have grown larger. In general young Koi are cheaper than the more mature ones. Koi do not mature until they are about eight years old, so you have plenty of time to watch them develop.

Real Koi Fish

The beauty of Koi fish lies in their shapes and color mutations. So, part of the enjoyment of starting a Koi fish hobby is picking the fish in the first place. Like most things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Find a breeder or pet shop which has a decent range of Koi fish varieties, so you have plenty of choice. It is best not to invest in your collection all at once. Built it up slowly, not only will you gradually learn about the varieties you prefer, but there is a certain satisfaction to choosing and buy the right fish so why not stretch out the fun!

Look at the fish closely to see if they look healthy. They should be swimming freely and smoothly and be without any visible physical damage. Make sure there are no holes or ulcerations in the scales, a crooked spine, missing fins, gills that do not close flat and so on. They should eat well and look as though they are breathing normally.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Pet Small Shark Fish

Carcharodon carcharias is better known as the great white shark, and is native to nearly all the major oceans of the earth. Its scientific name comes out of two words from the Greek. The first is karcharos, which means sharp or jagged, and the second is odous, meaning tooth. This shark dwells primarily in the coastal waters off the United States, Mexico, Chile, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and also the Mediterranean sea.

Pet Small Shark Fish

The great white is the largest predatory, carnivore fish in the world. Its jaws are more powerful than any creature on land or sea and has earned it a lasting place in horror films. All sharks, including the great white have an unlimited supply of teeth. They may have up to 3,000 teeth in five rows at any one time. As the front teeth are naturally lost, replacement teeth rotate forward from the reserve back rows. In a great white's lifetime of approximately 30 to 40 years, they may actually grow in excess of 20,000 teeth.

Pet Small Shark Fish

The great white shark's teeth are pointed, triangular shaped, extremely sharp, and each tooth is finely serrated. The front teeth grow up to 3 inches long. Their teeth are not attached to their jaw, but instead are moveable like items on a conveyor belt. When the great white's jaw is closed, the teeth retract inward much like a feline's claws. When it opens its jaw, the teeth rotate outward into place. The two front rows of teeth are used to seize their prey, while the back three rows are the newly developing teeth.

Pet Small Shark Fish

A keen sense of smell is a shark's strongest guide to finding their prey. The next most powerful sense actually comes from their teeth. A great white's teeth are connected to sensory nerves in their head making them highly receptive to the movement, or even the heartbeat of any living creature. Young sharks feed on small bony fish, but as a shark grows, requiring more calories to maintain their enormous size, their targets of choice are marine mammals.

Pet Small Shark Fish

Pet Small Shark Fish

Pet Small Shark Fish

The great white shark decreased in population after many years of being excessively hunted. In 1998 they became a protected species along the coasts of the United States of America, Australia, and South Africa. As a result fresh, new teeth are illegal to procure, but because of their dense calcium phosphate composition, fossil teeth are quite widely available, and completely legal to possess.

Small Shark Fish

When setting up an aquarium people quickly find out that there are many tropical fish to select from. There are school fish such as Guarmis and Tetras and there are aggressive fish such as Oscars and Cichlids. But a fish that has recently become more popular for the small home aquarium is the small aquarium sharks. If you want to take care of your new shark here is some information on how to maintain them in your home aquarium

Small Shark Fish

Small Shark Fish

The Eqaulette shark is one of the more ideal small sharks for a small aquarium as they like to live in small confined areas. They are usually white with brown spots all over their body. Unlike most sharks they do not swim around the tank but prefer to swim on the tank floor all day looking for food. At times they look like eels with their slender bodies, their bodies allow them to slip around the rocks and other aquarium decorations.

Small Shark Fish

Although they are not the smallest of the aquarium sharks, they are also not the largest. Eqaulette sharks can grow quite large, an adult can grow up to eleven inches long. So when selecting one ensure that your tank is large enough for them to move around when they grow.

Small Shark Fish

The Epaulette shark eats mainly on small crabs and worms. They may even eat shrimp and other small fishes. They have very small teeth, so larger pieces of food should be avoided. They can bite and chew, but their teeth are not designed to cut the food. So, keep their food pieces small at all times.

One of the most popular small aquarium sharks is the red tail shark. This small shark is semi-aggressive fish its unique beauty is a definite plus in any aquarium. They have a solid black body with red tip tail which is easy to identify. These sharks are not very social so it is recommended that you only keep one per tank.

Small Shark Fish

Small Shark Fish