Esox footprint

[TheBloodyIrish]

I know these guys need more room than some fish, so what is the recommended footprint for single Esox americanus?

 

[Chad55]

Can be done in a 48"x13" (55 gallon) BUT it is deffinatly going to be more comfortable in a 48"x18".

Chad

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Okay. So I am looking at a width of 18"+ and depth of 20"+.

How deep is your tank? A lot of pickerel keepers seem to keep them between 20" to 40".

By the way, how is that redfin pickerel of yours?

 

[Chad55]

I have a grass pickerel but depth does not really matter to these fish at all. 12" of depth would be perfectly fine for life. And my grass pickerel is doing very good thank you.

Chad

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Ah, I was under the impression you had redfins.

My apology.

Too bad these guys don't make good tankmates with anyone: too aggressive to keep with shoaling fish; too docile to keep with other predatory fish.

 

[Chad55]

It's fine its easy to mistake them. But there are a few tankmates you can keep with them. They do well with thier own kind and I have heard of them being kept with warmouth and perch also. Even small sunfish like dollars, longears, and orangespots.

Chad

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

The only thing is that those fish directly compete for food. Pickerels are stalkers, most cool or coldwater fish are not.

 

[Chad55]

Well believe me when you get a pickerel into and aquarim they start acting like any other food and will actually compete for food. Mine begs all the time and has learned how to take shrimp and even pellets.

Chad