How can I maintain native species in an aquarium for educational purposes?
Assuming that you are not going to release any of your aquarium inhabitants to the wild (which we strongly discourage), regulations that apply to aquaculture systems would not be pertinent. If you intend to collect fish, frogs or other aquatic species for your pond from natural habitats, you must have a valid Indiana fishing license and follow the regulations in the Fishing Guide. You cannot possess a fish that has not been legally obtained through purchase or by fishing with a license. Due to restrictions on mussel harvest, you may not collect any live or dead shells of mussels (species having a pair of hinged shells). There are no regulations regarding collection of aquatic insects other than endangered species. If you are interested in maintaining native fish species in an aquarium, you might consider subscribing to “American Currents,” a publication of the North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA). The magazine is printed quarterly and has many interesting facts about native
