Fish ID

[aqua_chem]

Im almost positive that its a type of sunfish. It looks alot like bluegill I would catch in ponds as a kid. There are only a million kinds though...

Almost sure its not a cichlid.

 

[aqua_chem]

Does it have spines on its dorsal fin?

 

[jetajockey]

that looks like a bluegill to me. A clear, well lit side shot would help tremendously, but from the pics it definitely looks like a bluegill. I have one around that size right now.

 

[aqua_chem]

Chest isnt right for a bluegill, imo. Even the juvies have a nice orange to red coloration. Also the ear isnt as tessellated as bluegill usually are

 

[jetajockey]

here's a good pic from nanfa

 

[jetajockey]

Chest isnt right for a bluegill, imo. Even the juvies have a nice orange to red coloration. Also the ear isnt as tessellated as bluegill usually are

There's a lot of variants from region to region so it's really hard for me to say, at least that's what I've seen when collecting. Juvenile sunfish can be a huge pain to ID =[

 

[aqua_chem]

Ours are works of art in the northwest it seems. That pic you posted looks awfully similar...

 

[absolutangel04]

Ours are works of art in the northwest it seems. That pic you posted looks awfully similar...

I identified/counted fish for the USFWS on the Columbia River, so I have seen a ton of juvy bluegills in the NW. I agree that ours have have a more red belly and deeper color, but I certainly know that they vary in different regions. The ones we used to catch in the Mississippi were much duller than the NW ones.
I think the picture jeta put up looks very much like the pictures from the OP too... The body and fins look right, but its a bit hard to tell from the OP's pictures. Still, I definfitely say sunfish of some sort.

 

[Tcal01]

here's a good pic from nanfa

This is actually exactly what the fish looks like. It even has that blueish shine to it. It's body however looks a little wider. What type of fish was that jetajockey?

 

[absolutangel04]

The picture has the species listed with the latin name.

 

[Tcal01]

Oh yah. So I guess that solves it. It's a bluegill

 

[absolutangel04]

Are they doing ok?

 

[Tcal01]

The injured one isn't gonna make it. He'll swimming a little then just lay on his side. But the one that jumped out seems to be doing great.

 

[absolutangel04]

The injured one isn't gonna make it. He'll swimming a little then just lay on his side. But the one that jumped out seems to be doing great.

Bummer about the hurt one, but I am glad that the jumper is looking good!

 

[Tcal01]

Ha I think that's gonna be his name. Wat is a bluegills comparability like? Could it get along with some comet goldfish?

 

[Tcal01]

*compatibly

 

[aqua_chem]

My dad always referred to them as "pugnacious."

 

[jetajockey]

That might actually work out, not that I've tried it. Both species get very large and would thrive in a seasonal pond setting.

 

[Tcal01]

I'll keep it in my pond until it gets too big. I hav two lakes within 10min of my house so if he starts getting to big or starts getting aggressive I'll put him I'm there.

 

[jetajockey]

Just a side note I wanted to mention, never return a fish, native or not, back to the wild after it is kept in aquaria, it could introduce all kinds of nasty things to the native population. Either rehome a fish once it is unable to be kept anymore, or euthanize it.

A private pond or private lake would be okay if it was totally disconnected from a waterway.