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NFC: First spring collection

I have been a member since May, and I've been lurking on the side lines since 
then. With the weather here in Florida as it has been, I was able to go 
collecting in a nearby lake that I've been investigating. I have recently 
finished the majority of my new fishroom, so with a dipnet, some buckets and 
my fishing license off I went.
   The morning I decided to go was great. The temperature was 75, and the 
lake was starting to stir with life as small ripples were seen here and there 
breaking the mirror surface.  Upon arriving to the water's edge, scattering 
Gambusia are seen just a few feet from shore. 
   With water hyacinth on both sides of the makeshift boatramp, I decided to 
checkout the shallow part first where the grass was intertwining with 
thewater hyacinth. With a few dips of the net, I was able to see the life not 
visible from the surface. Gambusia was very numerous as was grass shrimp. 
Crayfish and dragonfly nymphs were abundant too. The next net yielded the 
biggest nymph I've seen. It was andark grass green, and close to 4 inches. 
   The next few nets yielded the same species until I noticed a small 1 inch 
minnow, with a lateral band, and small dark circular markings on it's dorsal 
and anal fin. The least killifish, Heterandria formosa! A female. This was 
the first time seeing a live specimen. More netting in the area did not yield 
any more H. formosa, so I went to the deeper side. 
   The grasses were forming patches and was intertwining with the water 
hyacinth here as well, but there was about a foot to 2 feet of water 
clearance underneath. About 2 feet away from the grasses edge, I noticed a 
dark patch about 2 feet deep in the tea-colored water. A scoop of the dipnet 
reveled what it was. Hydrilla, another introduced plant. 
   After a lot of netting in this area, I was able to aquire a total of 6 
Least killifish. All of these were females, with no males to be found. I also 
placed some Gambusia in the bucket, along with a few crayfish. I then took a 
large root system of a hyacinth and shook it in a bucket of water to see what 
kind of microscopic life was available. This was to be done at the fishroom.
   With a water sample and a test strip (these things are time saver)! The 
following are the results: Ph-7.8 , amm-0, nitrites-o, nitrates-trace, Kh-80. 
   After temps equaled a little, my water pH close to the same(7.6), I 
awaited for the fish to settle down in there new homes for photographing. I 
just got back the photographs and the are good. 
   If you've read this far, I hope that someone can answer a question for me. 
How do you copyright a photo?
   Do you know of some sites to collect native fish near Orlando?
I've been doing research on Florida's native fish and introduced species, and 
I am also looking for specimens to photograph. Do you have Florida specimens 
you would like to sell? Let me know. Would you like an updated list of 
Florida's fish list? This is what my research has turned up for the last 2 
years. Serious inquires only. 
   Hope you enjoyed reading, and hope to here from some of you.
                                                                              
   Victor Atkins
                                                                             
Prplshark at aol_com
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