How many Missouri longears

[convictbreeder98]

I currently have a 40g that my oscar and plec will be moved out of shortly. I have kept sunnies before, but it was a lone bluegill who i relocated to a friends empty koi (now my sunny/lmb) pond and now that the tank is going to be empty ive been looking at sunnies again. I couldn't help but see brian zimmermans Missouri longears and their spectacular male colorations. This tank is going to become a show tank and not a breeding setup so i was wondering how many males i could keep in that tank. Should their be females? The tank is going to be chilled and it wont go through seasons, staying in fall temperatures to prevent spawning behaviors. If females are necessary for a peacefull setup than so be it.
Any additional thoughts/suggestions are appericiated.

 

[warmouth]

I want to say 1st that I love Missouri Longears, (I catch them out of the Finley River here a couple of times a year)I think theyre one of the most beautifull fish in the world and an excellent choice for a show tank. I will add that I do feel that natives do much better with seasons (even mild ones that you would get from being indoors in a room temp tank) so that keeping them too cold all year around might negatively effect theyre health.....how cold are you thinking about keeping them? Mo Longears are one of the most aggressive and largest Longears....they can get from 6-8 inches long, I would recommend a bigger tank with somtype of cover (Driftwood, plants, large rocks) to give refuge to the least dominant one when they get older; since Zimmerman sells them when theyre young and small 40g should be ok for about 1 1/2-2 yrs for 3-4 Longears then you will need at least a 60g with dithers and some type of foliage; I have heard that Sunfish are more peacefull when theres one male and several females....but having never tried that combo I cant speak from experience.

 

[convictbreeder98]

im thinking 3 females and one male, and a chiller. My room temp water is about 80 right now which is perfect for my tropicals but not for natives. I would leave the water at 70, and with each season i planned on checking the temp of my huge pond in the pocono mountains which has a thriving population of sunnies for the temp, and adjust accordingly. Would spawning occur with seasonal changes?

 

[warmouth]

im thinking 3 females and one male, and a chiller. My room temp water is about 80 right now which is perfect for my tropicals but not for natives. I would leave the water at 70, and with each season i planned on checking the temp of my huge pond in the pocono mountains which has a thriving population of sunnies for the temp, and adjust accordingly. Would spawning occur with seasonal changes?

Yes spawning will occur when the photo period increases and temp....70 shouldn't be too cold, I wish you much luck: they really are beautifull fish and when your male gets older he may develop a Nuchal hump (some Mo longear males get those)....I must say I thin its pretty cool looking