species name(both common and scientific): florida largemouth bass
total time of cohabitation: 2 years
size of fish cohabed 18" bowfin with a 12" bass
pros: bigger bowfin is ok with slightly smaller bass. bass is fast enough to get away from bowfin.
cons: bass is faster feeder, can be tough to get food to bowfin.
special things to note: i'm not sure if this would have worked if the fish were the same size. the lmb would probably get all the food.
overall score: 7/10.
species name(both common and scientific): bluegill sunfish
total time of cohabitation: 2 years
size of fish cohabed: 18" bowfin with 9" bluegill
pros: no problems, unless both are going after same piece of food.
cons: bowfin will eventually be large enough to eat bluegill.
special things to note: overall good companion
overall score: 7/10
species name(both common and scientific): yellow bullhead
total time of cohabitation: 1.5 years
size of fish cohabed: 18" bowfin with a 18" bullhead
pros: at same size, they feed at about the same rate. peaceful most of the time.
cons: bowfin and bullhead were aggressive at times. bowfin bit bullhead at times causing damage.
special things to note: bullhead would instigate territorial fights and bowfin normally backed down. when the bowfin did not back down the bullhead got the worst of it. i don't think either fish would make it if there was any significant size difference.
overall score: 2/10.
species name(both common and scientific): common pleco
total time of cohabitation: 2 years
size of fish cohabed: 18" bowfin with a 12" pleco
pros: working well for these 2 particular fish.
cons: plecos can annoy bowfin. bowfin can take bites out of pleco fins.
special things to note: i think it comes down to each fish's personality. a gibbicepts pleco and a rhino pleco did not work and were removed after a few weeks with the same bowfin.
