The Orange Spotted Sunfish... Is it the right fish for me?

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justonemoretank

Feeder Fish
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Mar 30, 2009
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Sorry if this ends up being a double post. I'm having a hard time getting it to go through. :irked:

Hello all--
So, I've got a 75 which will be open soon because the fish in it are going into a 180. I found the Orange Spotted Sunfish on aquabid. The ad says, ""They are the smallest lepomis species, least aggressive, and one of the most colorful!" Current Size: .5 to 1 in / Maximum Size: 4.5 in." The bid is for four of these guys, and I'd like to keep them all. In your experience, can I do it in a 75? Filtration would be a Marineland C-360 and an AC 110. The article I found here on MFK (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13822&highlight=orange+spotted+sunfish) says they reach 6". Is the seller's statement about their aggressiveness true? I'm really not crazy about aggressive fish, because they stress me out LOL. These guys are so beautiful, though... Would this work? What size do they typically max out at -- is on the low or high end of the scale? I don't plan on having any tankmates -- it would just be the sunfish. Also, I don't want to upgrade or anything in the future; I'm looking for a type of fish that can stay in the 75 for life. Thanks.
 
yes i think they would be fine in the 75.
 
btw the orange spotted arent very agressive.
 
The 6" figure comes from Peterson's Field Guide; neither I nor anyone else I've talked to has seen one near that big. Anything past 4" is big for an o-spot. They are peaceful for sunfish, so they may still scuffle and chase a little, but they won't have the frequent, vigorous brawls of other sunnies.

You could keep more than 4 o-spots in the 75, or add several individuals of other species. Bantam sunfish are similar in size and temperament; the Enneacanthus sunnies (blackbanded, banded, and bluespot) are even smaller and calmer, and various other small fishes such as shiners, darters, madtoms, and killifish would make good tankmates.

I suggest growing the sunnies out in a small tank or a breeder net placed in the big tank for a while. It can be difficult getting enough food to them when they are little if there is a whole big tank for them to search in.
 
Thanks, that sounds encouraging! I'm going to heavily plant (with good old plasticus planticus), and have most of the light blocked from the top, so that they will hopefully be more outgoing (I've read that they don't do well in bright tanks).
 
These guys are pretty small right now, but I'm worried that if I added darters or minnows they'd be eaten. What size would of a minnow-type fish would you consider safe with a full-grown sunfish?
 
With o-spots, I'd say anything over an inch long would be fine. Adult fish of almost any species would be OK. I suggest avoiding minnows until the sunfish are larger. Minnows are very aggressive feeders and can be pushy as well, so they may stress out/ outcompete the baby sunfish. Also be careful which minnows you add, especially if collecting yourself. Creek chub in particular grow fast and could make short work of their tankmates, sunnies included.
 
Just thought I'd add: be sure to check out http://forum.nanfa.org/ for more in-depth info on orangespots and native fish in general. As a bonus, the breeder/seller of those fish is more than likely Brian Zimmerman, who is an active member on that board.
 
Okay, I'll definitely take your advice on growing them out for a bit before they hit the 75. I've got a 20 gallon that's not occupied -- would that be a good size? I'll probably grow them out to a good size and wait until they're eating well, and then add some minnows or smaller fish after they've been in the 75 for awhile. And I wouldn't collect myself; I'd probably order from aquabid again. Our LFS in the area aren't great for variety, and I don't own hip-waders. LOL.

Edit -- thanks for the link!
 
A 20 would be just fine. Be sure to cover filter intakes with sponge. I have found that livebearer food and freeze-dried daphnia are good for sunnies that size. Of course any small live inverts will also be much appreciated. Good luck!
 
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