55 gallon sunfish tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thanks guys,

To help I did a bit of research trying to figure out the size of these different species.

Longear Sunfish: The world record is barely 9.5 in. Average size is between 6-8 inches.

Pumpkinseed: Rarely exceeds 10 in. Average size 8-10 inches.

Dollar: Rarely exceeds 5 in. Average size: 4-5 inches


Any ideas for darters,shiners,or minnows that may also be compatible with these fish?


Thanks - Jighead
 
I would suggest you go with the dollars and longears. With sunfish you want to have a decent amount to break up aggresion so I would suggest maybe 4 or 5. The reason I don't suggest the pumpkinseed is because they take up more space and grow larger. If you get an even smaller species of sunfish you could have quite a bit more individuals. Bluespotted, blackbanded and banded sunfish are all under 5". As far as they yellow bullhead go be carefull, if the bullhead can it will eat your sunfish and they are a pretty decent sized fish and it may outgrow your tank.
 
Thanks Sandtiger,

Looking at the website that I might order from http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/fishlist01.htm I see that they have a Northern longear and a Central longear species. However, from all of my internet searching I can not come up with any evidence that they are 2 different species. My feeling is that they are just geographical variations. Is there any difference in the two, including their colors? Or are the pictures that I looked at just a trick of light?


- Jighead
 
They aren't different species but rather subspecies of eathother. Basically regional variations like the northern largemouths and Florida largemouths.

Some authorities split the species into two subspecies. The central longear sunfish, L. megalotis megalotis, is generally found in the southeastern portion of the range, on the east side of the Mississippi River, and the southern half of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The northern longear sunfish, L. megalotis peltastes, on the other hand, is found primarily in the northwest portion of the longear’s range, from Wisconsin, Minnesota, northern Ohio through Michigan and into Ontario.

Trautman (1957) distinguishes between the two subspecies by saying the northern longear sunfish, L. megalotis megalotis, is generally smaller, with a less pronounced opercular flap that is horizontal in orientation. The central longear, L. m. peltastes, is generally larger and has a longer opercular flap at a 45° angle, posterior end higher.
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http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
 
Jighead said:
Any ideas for darters,shiners,or minnows that may also be compatible with these fish?
Click to expand...

Most darters are small enough to be eaten by larger sunfish (such as the longear and pumpkinseed) and I myself have lost full grown darters to small sunfish. The only darter species I can think of that might work are the logperch, they are the largest of the darter-like fishes and can grow up to 6". For minnows/shiners I suggest a species that grows at least 3-4". Bluntnose minnows are easy to find in most places and might work, other species that you could try include spotfin shiners and redfin shiners. Avoid larger species like creek chubs and golden shiners, they can grow up to a foot long and would probably take up more space then you would like.
 
lil_blue said:
log perch are not the largest of the darter like fishes, for sake of disagreeing
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Than what is? If you're going to disagree at least back up your statement. And what's wrong with going by largest sizes in the wild? Don't you think when putting fish in a tank it is best to be prepaired for however large they can get?
 
The logperch is the second largest "darter", and the biggest that is easy to collect. The only one that I am aware of that reaches a larger size is the freckled darter, which has a small range and may be declining in numbers. I have only collected one freckled darter, shocked it up in the middle of the leaf river in south Mississippi, and it was the biggest darter I have ever seen. When I refer to "darters" I am including fish in the following genuses Percina, Crystallaria, Etheostoma, and Ammocrypta.
 
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