Pickerel compatability

[snookman]

I'm thinking about getting a redfin pickerel and was wondering if anyone has kept them with other fish. I know the normal rules like "fish that can't fit in it's mouth" and all...what I want to know is that since it's a solitary predator, will it be ok housed with other fish that may be a mid-water schooling fish or would that be too much and spook it. Then I wonder about fish on the bottom like a bullhead and/or mottled sculpin or even some darters as long as they were large enough to not be eaten. Please limit responses to "ACTUAL" experiences with the Esox species. I am well aware that do not like a lot of current and that they need a lot of cover (plants, pvc, etc.) and a lid since they are jumpers. I just want to know about tankmates.

Thanks,
Justin

 

[MN_Rebel]

In my experiences with keeping young northern pike, they do not handle aggressive tankmates very well. However crappies and fliers were good tankmates with pickerels and I've kept madtoms with the young northern pike before.

 

[Mr.Catfish]

I keep mine with green sunfish,crappie,longears, carp,pumpkinseed and catfish. I have had them for three years together and they do fine. Here's proof.[video=youtube;W9OuD48McGI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9OuD48McGI[/video]

 

[Gill Blue]

very nice tank. however, he said redfin pickerel, not grass. I believe the reason he's asking is, on aquabid, the seller states that sunfish go after their red fins leaving the fish finless.
that's why I'm not going to get them. I watch my sunfish worry at snails too big to eat for 10-15 minutes at a crack. I give them red pellets, I'm sure the pickerels fins would last a day at the most. probably closer to an hour.

 

[Mr.Catfish]

I have also kept redfins with sunfish in the past without a problem.If the sunfish are well fed they don't seem to bother their fins. It is when they become hungry that they began to nip fins. But I keep my fish well fed to the point that they don't come to the top of the tank begging for food every time I walk in.

 

[Gearhead]

I kept mine with bichirs and plecos, and I never had any problems. They're a solitary fish, put them with other solitary fish or peaceful fish too big to eat. I also trained mine to eat pellets in a week or so.