I was having some pretty loud carryings on in my Outdoor deck pond and it appeared that my Bowfin was sparring with a 15" nile tilapia and spooking my 2' longnose gar as a result. I was not far off from having to move the tilapia in for the winter season anyway. The Nile Tilapia is now indoor with a Cuban & Pike cichlid. I decided to move my Bowfin from outdoor to the indoor growout with my other bowfin.
Both are over a year old and over 14". They are sparring to an extent
, but I am uncertain how serious. Grumpy (the male bowfin) does this very regularly to Green Sunfish and Channel catfish. I have also seen Grumpy shred a green sunfish, making it clear the hard hitting attack was meant as a display and NOT as hunting or attempt to kill!
I have only kept my Bowfins with other tankmates, and had outrageous co-specific aggression & cannibilism as YOY juviniles. I figured that especially being one male and one female that they would now be able to co-inhabit prior to being introduced to the 100+' diameter farm pond this spring.
Has anyone had experience keeping young bowfin together? What should I look for before seperating?
Both are over a year old and over 14". They are sparring to an extent
, but I am uncertain how serious. Grumpy (the male bowfin) does this very regularly to Green Sunfish and Channel catfish. I have also seen Grumpy shred a green sunfish, making it clear the hard hitting attack was meant as a display and NOT as hunting or attempt to kill!I have only kept my Bowfins with other tankmates, and had outrageous co-specific aggression & cannibilism as YOY juviniles. I figured that especially being one male and one female that they would now be able to co-inhabit prior to being introduced to the 100+' diameter farm pond this spring.
Has anyone had experience keeping young bowfin together? What should I look for before seperating?
