Green sunfish tank mate

[sinibotia]

Honestly, I think that a 55 gallon is only barely big enough for one adult sunfish. They can get 10-12 inches. That's comparable in size to an oscar. They're also incredibly mean little buggers. The only fish mine would get along with was a common pleco that was slightly bigger than him- and "get along" is a generous term for the uneasy peace in that tank.

 

[Lumberjack]

Okay. I might just release everyone and start over with youngsters that will grow up together. Maybe grab a different species like the dollar sunfish. Do you have a recommendation?. Bluegill and green sunfish are vicious.

I had a bluegill once and i introduced Another and woke up to a fish that was basically skinned of all scales on one side.

This guy seems less vicious but more intimidating. He puffs his gills out and his stripes show when he is near the other fish


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[ImACoolguy]

Okay. I might just release everyone and start over with youngsters that will grow up together. Maybe grab a different species like the dollar sunfish. Do you have a recommendation?. Bluegill and green sunfish are vicious.

I had a bluegill once and i introduced Another and woke up to a fish that was basically skinned of all scales on one side.

This guy seems less vicious but more intimidating. He puffs his gills out and his stripes show when he is near the other fish


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Send them to a pond. In many places it is illegal to release captive fish even if they are natives.


Caleb

 

[Lumberjack]

That was my plan good sir


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[Mar23]

Go with dollar sunfish and make sure they are all about the same size. I would recommend no females, unless you keep only one pair. Jonah's website is a great place to start. They sell native fish, if you get too frustrated collecting them yourself. He can also advise you on how many and what kind to keep in a 55 gallon.


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[sinibotia]

Dollar sunfish are a good option! I don't know much about them but they are much smaller.

 

[Mar23]

Forgot to ask, can you post a pic of the new guy? Maybe it is a good one to keep and you can release the green sunfish instead.


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[Nils]

I don't know if you wan to do it this way, but e sometimes make small crayfish traps for crayfish, minnows, shines, baby bass in the pond (my favorite ) and small sunfish. I have used this with chicken wire, and caught all those things I listed. Here is the link: In This Life Like Weeds: DIY - How to Make a Crawfish Trap It is really easy to make and the fish are not injured in any way, an using this you can only cache small ones. The only thing you need to do is bait it and wait. It might take a few tries before you get the smallest fish you want. Good luck and happy fishing!

 

[Lumberjack]

Woke up to the new guy belly up. Descaling and fin nipping seems to be the cause.

Im gonna try the fish trap idea to get the juvies. There is a stream in the woods in my back yard.


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[Mar23]

Woke up to the new guy belly up. Descaling and fin nipping seems to be the cause.

Im gonna try the fish trap idea to get the juvies. There is a stream in the woods in my back yard.


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So sad about your fish. Release the green sunfish, unless you want to just keep him. You could get him a female and keep the two alone.


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[sinibotia]

Again, I wouldn't keep more than one sunfish in a 55 gallon unless it's one of the smaller species. Keep in mind almost all sunfish can get to a size comparable to that of an oscar and are aggressive. Stock them like you'd stock any 10-14 inch aggressive cichlid.

 

[Lumberjack]

Hmm. I like the blue spotted sunfish and the banded sunfish. Any idea where to catch those?


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[Lumberjack]

His name is smalls.


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[Lumberjack]

I did try the small fish trap and just caught a shiz ton of lake chubs and a baby gar.


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[Mar23]

Hmm. I like the blue spotted sunfish and the banded sunfish. Any idea where to catch those?


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No idea. The blue spotted is not common. I am going to order some rainbow darters from jonah's aquarium next month to go with my sunfish.


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[Mar23]

I did try the small fish trap and just caught a shiz ton of lake chubs and a baby gar.


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At least you know it works. Lol


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[Lumberjack]

Well, i left town for a few days to come home to a white perch living with my green sunfish. My friends thought it would be funny to put 5 white perch in there with him and he supposedly killed 4 of them and left this one... Wtf? He chose to not kill him? Hes not even being aggressive towards him and just ate with him... I also added minnows today. They are swimming beside each other and not killing each other so i guess this will be his new friend. He is a little longer than the green sunfish. Maybe he is scared of him? He is actually very pretty too.


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[sinibotia]

White perch will most definitely outgrow your tank, for what it's worth.

 

[Lumberjack]

He'll go to a pond or to a buddy of mine who has a 300 gallon native tank if he gets that big. They usually stay small around here. Whatever happens he has a place to go.


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[sinibotia]

He'll go to a pond or to a buddy of mine who has a 300 gallon native tank if he gets that big. They usually stay small around here. Whatever happens he has a place to go.


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I know what you mean, but in a tank environment they'll grow regardless of typical size for an area, so I doubt he'll stay small in your tank. I've seen massive, 10+lb largemouth bass in captivity that were caught in Maine even though they NEVER get that big up here normally. Good that you have a place for him to go, though!

Personally if any of my friends put something in my tank like that, they'd be ex-friends...