Sunfish stocking rules of thumb?

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warmouth;4359915; said:
for longears , I would definately go about 3-5 in a 55 gallon (with only one male).
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I plan on getting a 5' 120 gallon and was thinking 6 Longears, a single yellow perch, a yellow bullhead, and two turtles (one musk and either a Mississippi Map or a Southern Painted). I would need to buy the turtles as the ones in my area (Boston) are typically too big, or illegal to capture.
 
davdev;4360519;4360519 said:
I plan on getting a 5' 120 gallon and was thinking 6 Longears, a single yellow perch, a yellow bullhead, and two turtles (one musk and either a Mississippi Map or a Southern Painted). I would need to buy the turtles as the ones in my area (Boston) are typically too big, or illegal to capture.
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Sounds awesome just as long as the sizes are close enough you dont have them eating each other.
 
Ok, so my plan changed and instead of the 120 Gallon, I am actually getting a 75 for free. Smaller than I want, but can't argue with free, especially as a first tank.

So, right now I am planning on getting 4-5 LA Longears and a cat of some sort, not sure what would fit in this tank though, as I think it would be too small for a bullhead.

Any suggestions, oh, and the cat I need has to be something I can buy, I don't really have anywhere around me to catch them.
 
This is just my opinion but I think 5 Longears would do good in a 75, I have noticed with mine the more there are the less aggression there has been.
My vote would be for a bullhead catfish, they don't get super big and grow rather slow from what I have seen and read. They are really cool to watch as well.
One suggestion I would like to make is if you feel you are overstocking your tank then over filter as well.
And your right, you can't beat free. That's awesome, congrats.
 
Bullheads play rough. I have a yellow bulhead in my 330 with various sunfish and large minnows; he's killed at least two minnows plus a hogsucker twice his size, and chases everyone else. He's not even the biggest fish in the tank. He's coming out as soon as I get another tank cycled for him.

I have heard that the spotted, snail, and flat bullheads are more peaceable, and they stay smaller (under 12"). But, they have restricted ranges and are not readily available.

Peaceful bottom-dwellers that would work in your tank include creek chubsuckers and some of the larger darters (greensides, logperch, etc.). Stonecats are a good size, but i can't speak to their temperament. Other madtoms are smaller and definitely won't harrass the longears. You won't see them much, though.

Are you getting the longears as juveniles? If so, they should be fine; sunfish seem to be less aggressive with fish they have grown up with. Introducing new sunnies to an established community can result in bloodshed.
 
Noto;4596769; said:
Are you getting the longears as juveniles? If so, they should be fine; sunfish seem to be less aggressive with fish they have grown up with. Introducing new sunnies to an established community can result in bloodshed.
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Yeah, I plan on buying through Zimmerman or Aquaculture, or maybe both. I plan on getting everything as a juvie.
 
Lakes can get much bigger, up to 18" or so. But, this is exceptional and it may take the fish many years to outgrow your tank. I've only kept creek chubsuckers and cannot comment on differences in behavior.
 
davdev;4596558;4596558 said:
Ok, so my plan changed and instead of the 120 Gallon, I am actually getting a 75 for free. Smaller than I want, but can't argue with free, especially as a first tank.

So, right now I am planning on getting 4-5 LA Longears and a cat of some sort, not sure what would fit in this tank though, as I think it would be too small for a bullhead.

Any suggestions, oh, and the cat I need has to be something I can buy, I don't really have anywhere around me to catch them.
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Stonecats are cool looking and not as aggressive as Bullheads, Jonahs puts them on the compatible list for Longears; Slender Madtoms are also good size and compatible with Sunnies. If Zimmermans or Sachs Aquaculture isnt carrying them try Jonahs aquarium (Ive had really good luck with them) or BTdarters (they are all excellent online Lfs's for natives). I dont recommend overstocking Sunnies.....when I tried this theory with my Green Sunnies in a 39g they killed any other fish I put in with them including other greens. I think 5 longears would be good in a 75 as long as you didnt have alot of other fish, or any large fish with them.
 
I think you may be overstocking your sunfish. In my experience, sunfish are really aggressive, and can grow really quickly. I had only 3 spotted sunfish in my 150, and frankly, any more would have been too many. As it is, they ended up breeding, and that caused the aggression to get really, really bad. Understocked and still look great, and the fish can respond nicely to that.

Bluespotted sunfish are much less aggressive than any of the Lepomis sp.
 
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