Smallmouth Bass

[topoftheline77]

I want to get a smallmouth bass at the smallest I can, about 4". How big will he get in aquaria? How long can I keep him in a 75g? What should I upgrade to when he outgrows the 75g? Can I house him with a green sunfish and a warmouth?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Derpeder]

I love my small mouth. He is an awesome fish.

I kept mine in a 75 gallon until he was about 4 inches, but thats cause I was keeping him with a 6 inch largemouth.

I'd probably keep him in the 75 until he is about 8 to 10 inches or so. Larger fish you have to think about the total dimension of the tank. If the tank is 4 ft long thats great at 10 inches but if its 12 inches front to back thats terrible. If the tank is 18 inches front to back he may do okay at 10 inches but will eventually need bigger.

a 180 gallon will be 2 feet deep and 2 feet front to back. I'd think that would work for a small mouth..... Possibly a 150 gallon but someone else could tell you better.

He will grow as good as you feed him, and as good as the water quality is. Feed him right and keep the water good he'll be a monster for sure. Feed him bad with bad water he won't grow to his potential.

I'm not sure about the fish you mentioned....cause I've never kept them but I did put a pumpkin seed sunfish in the tank with my smallie and the sunfish almost killed my small mouth......so keep a close eye on em.

 

[obxtuf]

you have any pics

 

[ShadowBass]

You could try a greenie, I wouldn't try a warmouth.

I haven't kept sm personally though, maybe someone else has had experience keeping them with warmouth or other sunfish.

 

[toehead11183]

id go with a 180 later.

 

[fisher12889]

I want to get a smallmouth bass at the smallest I can, about 4". How big will he get in aquaria? How long can I keep him in a 75g? What should I upgrade to when he outgrows the 75g? Can I house him with a green sunfish and a warmouth?

Thanks
Mike

The world record smallmouth is just over 10lbs, but in an aquarium you will most likely never see one that big. I think it would be ok to keep them w/ a green sunfish and warmouth because in my experience they arent very aggressive. I have a largemouth and smallmouth together w/ a bluegill and channel cat. The only fish that ever gets picked on is the smallmouth because the largemouth is a bully towards it. They are really cool fish to own.

 

[ShadowBass]

The world record smallmouth is just over 10lbs, but in an aquarium you will most likely never see one that big. I think it would be ok to keep them w/ a green sunfish and warmouth because in my experience they arent very aggressive. I have a largemouth and smallmouth together w/ a bluegill and channel cat. The only fish that ever gets picked on is the smallmouth because the largemouth is a bully towards it. They are really cool fish to own.

That's the thing, I wouldn't be worried about the smallmouth picking on the warmouth, I'd be worried about the warmouth picking on the smallmouth, especially if the smallmouth isn't very big.
Green sunfish I don't generally worry about with anything, the only problem I've had with them is towards hogsuckers.