Blue gills and green sunfish

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OscarRobinson

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 25, 2007
652
0
16
Philadelphia
Set up a 20 gal long with some juvi green sunfish and blue gills (3 each) that I caught from the creek. Got them eating earth worms for now, gonna start them on pellets once they get adjusted. The creek by my house is packed with them. every few yards or so you can spot their breeding circles with the males gaurding them. The biggest I've seen them must have been 6-7" and really fat. I didn't disturb them but found the juvis not far from the breeding spots. I got a spare 90 gal when they grow out the 20. Never really noticed how beautiful these fish are until I put them in the tank. I've noticed that the green sunfish are more aggressive than the blue gills but so far they are doing great.

Any tips on keeping these guys would be appreciated. Do you think a 90 would be okay for life for say 2 of each? Don't think I'll have a problen feeding them they seem to be good eaters. Only concern is temp. The tank is in the basement so hottest it gets in summer is 80F. Winter probably around 58-62F. Think thats okay?

This is the first attempt at keeping native species. I spend so much time with tropical fish that I never noticed the amazing fish I have in my own back yard.
 
welcome to the world of natives
a 90 might be a little tight, a 125 would be better
i would put a heater on the tank to make sure it stays in the low to mid 70's
 
Thanks. I wasn't sure about temp considering winters here can be severe. As far as tank size goes I have some options just have to rearange some things. The green sunfish seem aggresive so I wanted to keep them in a species only tank. How are they with live plants? Are they hit or miss with them?
 
green sunfish are the more aggresive of the two, as for the 90 it would hold 4 of the fish when grown but as before stated a 125 would be a lot better
 
duke33;1916202; said:
I don't see where temps would hurt them in the basement. Yes natives are beautiful, you have to keep in mind they are all native somewhere!:)
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The will be fine at cooler temps, my Blue Gills, Pumpkinseed, and Black Crappie have been plenty happy in my basement and the tank averages ~62*f. feed them small amounts of food and you can keep them smaller longer, I've got a few blue gills that I got a 1.5" and a year later they are still less than 3" long. I've had one previously that I fed ALOT and he went from 1.5" to over 5" in less than a year.
 
u can keep bluegills greenies punkinseeds what ever ya like to callem . In bassicly any temp below 90s without concern. beins they live in small sediment ponds and such that get sweltering hot in summer. I have kept them with midas and jags befor they can hold there own. I got two small sunnys right now in with my jag and three bichirs., they eating pellets just fine.
 
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