I Went Insane and Bought 30 Longear Sunfish!!

[Rays of Sunshine]

You read the title correctly. 20 Missouri Longears and 10 Louisiana Longears from Zimmerman's Fish: http://zimmermansfish.com/

Happily they are small fry!! I have two tanks to raise them in. I just bought a 55 gallon from Petco for $55.00 and I will either raise them in the 55 and the 40 gallon breeder or a 20 long for the rest. Then eventually a 200-300 gallon. Just plain crazy!!!

 

[davdev]

Stupid question from a noob, but when they are that small (listed as small as .25" on site), how hard are they to take care of and raise to adult hood. I would figure you would have a few losses at that size, no? If I were to get a 120 gallon with the plan of eventually having 8 adults, should I buy significantly more than that?

Also, how do you feed something that small?

 

[ShadowBass]

That's a ton even for a 300g, and they grow really quick. They won't last long in a 55g.

They will be ok temperment wise due to the fact that there's so many to spread the aggression but you'll have to do TONS of water changes to keep up with that load.

 

[ShadowBass]

Stupid question from a noob, but when they are that small (listed as small as .25" on site), how hard are they to take care of and raise to adult hood. I would figure you would have a few losses at that size, no? If I were to get a 120 gallon with the plan of eventually having 8 adults, should I buy significantly more than that?

Also, how do you feed something that small?

They're not really hard to raise. You can feed ground up flake food and stuff like baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

There's no reason you have to have any losses raising them that small, but it's a possibliity. I raised 150 livingstoni fry and only lost a few, sunfish should be similar as far as care.

If you're going for 8 adults I wouldn't buy like 35, because unless you make mistakes as far as keeping their water clean and not feeding them enough you definitely won't lose that many. I'd get like 15 max. You may end up with all 15 and it will still be ok for your 120g. If you order like 35 you might end up with 35 and that's just way too many.

 

[browneu]

Zimmerman's fish arrive very healthy and sunfish are very hardy. So you won't have any losses unless the fish are neglected.

 

[davdev]

They're not really hard to raise. You can feed ground up flake food and stuff like baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

There's no reason you have to have any losses raising them that small, but it's a possibliity. I raised 150 livingstoni fry and only lost a few, sunfish should be similar as far as care.

If you're going for 8 adults I wouldn't buy like 35, because unless you make mistakes as far as keeping their water clean and not feeding them enough you definitely won't lose that many. I'd get like 15 max. You may end up with all 15 and it will still be ok for your 120g. If you order like 35 you might end up with 35 and that's just way too many.

Oh, I wouldn't do 35. I was thinking more like 12. Like I said I am a noob, so I will probably have some loses just because I don't really know what I am doing, but that is why I have been doing research for the last six months, and will probably still be a few more months before i buy a tank. I guess unlike most noobs, I want to be resonsible and know what I am doing before I jump in.

Also, you really think 15 would work in a 120? I thought 8 would be pushing it, but I guess I don't quite have stocking criteria down for natives.

 

[manlyfish]

Oh, I wouldn't do 35. I was thinking more like 12. Like I said I am a noob, so I will probably have some loses just because I don't really know what I am doing, but that is why I have been doing research for the last six months, and will probably still be a few more months before i buy a tank. I guess unlike most noobs, I want to be resonsible and know what I am doing before I jump in.

Also, you really think 15 would work in a 120? I thought 8 would be pushing it, but I guess I don't quite have stocking criteria down for natives.

so long as you keep the water params right i don't see a reason you can't

 

[warmouth]

Awesome rays.....the Central Mo Longear have a Hump like many of the Cichlids and are one of my favorite sunfish....cant wait to see the pictures of the 300g when its all setup!

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

Have been thinking this over, I thought about cutting back on the number of fish. I talked the fish over with Zimmermman's and they said for the longears, 10 gallons per fish. They also said that 30 for the 300 gallon would be great because it will cut down the aggression significantly. They said since I am not looking to breed them and this would be fine.

But I wonder still if this is TOO MANY?? I might need to cut back, got make my mind up by Tuesday.

 

[browneu]

I wouldn't put anymore than 6 in a 55 gallon tank. Anymore than that and you'll be doing constant water changes to keep up with the bio-load. Also, there is a chance you could stunt your fish and have them never reach their true potential.