Chain Pickerel & Large Mouth Bass

[Master Zero]

Quick question, can a Chain Pickerel and a Large Mouth Bass be kept together in a 300 gallon outdoor pond?
My LMB is about 7 inches and I was wondering if I could get a young Chain Pickerel as well without any problems.

 

[Noto]

I think the fish should be all right so long as they are the same size. Pickerel are not as assertive as bass, so be sure the bass isn't out-eating (and out-growing) the pickerel, or you could have trouble.

 

[Master Zero]

Thank you for the quick reply. I read that Chain Pickerels aren’t territorial but has a huge appetite and will eat fish of any size. So I wasn’t to sure if it was a good Idea.

 

[JIM]

Never had this kind of combo, but the chain (can) get up to 36", more common is 24", and the bass has potential of about the same but the chain since its more streamlined body only gets to about 3# potentially. I would say if you started them at about the same size, and made sure they get plenty to eat, without looking at each other as potential food, they should be alright for awhile at least. Good luck and if you see a lot of comotion in the water at some point like a hundred parina eating a water buffalo, i would keep a net handy

 

[blurock]

I would get the chain a bit larger than the bass. They may get longer than the bass, but they are thin, specially when young, and wouldn't have any problem fitting into that big ole' mouth of the bass if he got hungry... And I would suspect the bass to have a higher growth rate.

 

[sp33dstix]

Solution, get a smallmouth bass =D

 

[Master Zero]

Thank you guys, I will give it some though. I have seen my large mouth chase Minnows as big (almost) as he is. He has not chased anything as of yet and I am guessing it might be because of the cold weather. Maybe now would be the best time to introduce the Chain Pickerel to the pond so that it will at least be ready for the summer ahead (when the LMB becomes active).

 

[RGDoherty]

The coexist fine in the lake they should be fine in your small pond, as long as you take into account that the bass WILL try to eat the jack fish if you aren't feeding enough.....and they will be competing for food.

 

[Master Zero]

Yes of course, my main course of action would be to keep a population of Minnows going for them to feed on.

 

[le patron]

Solution, get a smallmouth bass =D

this is actually a great idea if you dont want one to eat the other. ive had lmb and chain pickerel the same size, chain a little bigger, and the lmb at it whole and had a full belly for like 2 and a half days.