Posted by cindy on January 23, 2003 at 08:36:23:
In Reply to: Pumpkinseed Sunfish posted by norbert26 on January 22, 2003 at 15:23:52:
...I am not a pet psychic and can't speak with any authority, but my sunnies seem pretty social, and seem *happier* in a small group. I make sure they are all visibly different sizes, though, then the smaller ones just give way to the larger ones. I once had two that were the exact same size and mutual aggression was a daily event until I released one.
I have had little luck in anything smaller than a 55, unless you are rigorous about water changes. If you will only keep 2-3 for a year or so, then release them for some more juveniles, and not overfeed them (I have been told that something like 70% of what native fish eat converts into growth, and that seems about right in my tank) you might get by with a 29, but only if you limit feeding and change water regularly.
I have seven bluegill and green sunfish juveniles and two five- inch largemouth bass and one 4 inch channel catfish in a 120 gallon tank. I feed them trout chow on Monday, cichlid pellets on Wednesday, and catfish pellets on Friday, and watch to see that every pellet is eaten. I have a canister filter and UGF with two reversible power heads to keep fish wastes at the surface for daily removal (on the three days a week I feed them) and a more thorough vacuum every Friday, and still have to change 25-30% of the water every Monday and Friday, and occasionally throw one in on Wednesday as well, just to keep the nitrates under 20 ppm (after the change.)
The blue gill and green sunfish are W/C, all under 3 inches (and cauught in stages to achieve the size disparity I prefer) but convert easily to pellets when they see the bass and channel cat (purchased through Carolina scientific catalog, pond raised and eager for pellets) eat them with gusto. I can't resist live food treats once or twice a month, but when fed live foods exclusively (as my W/C bass in the past had to be) the water changes necessary were daunting.
You can never go "too big" with native fish tanks, and I have never heard anybody say, "I wish I had bought a smaller tank to start with"....
I love my native tank, and my students like it the best in the class room. They love to have an unsuspecting person pour the premeasured pellets in the open top, and then get drenched by the eager fish for their kindness!
Good luck...
