Virginia Native Rock bass

[TPS reports]

thanks man.

i was hoping to get some verification on here, but i don't think this is a roanoke bass. as you said, roanoke bass (Ambloplites cavifrons) are elusive and declining in numbers. not positive on this, but i don't think roanokes are native to the new river system.

this i do know - the fish i posted, we could go down to the new river and catch a dozen on any summer day. most were in the 4-6" range, the biggest ones being in the 8-10" range. never personally saw this species getting to 15" as cited above. the locals all called them redeye, a common reference to Ambloplites rupestris, and what i believe the fish i posted to be.

while it might not be correct, i think that both species are loosely called roanoke bass and rock bass in some areas, so it can be hard to distinguish which species is actually being referred to.

unfortunately, i've moved out of the mountains and back to the coast, so neither of those species are locally available. can anyone id or confirm the sex of this sunfish? any answers to my original post? thanks!

 

[TPS reports]

Ambloplites rupestris pulled from google for reference.

 

[warmouth]

TPS, I have not successfully spawned Sunfish....I tried, because when my biggest Green reached about 6inches he decided to kill his mate and any other fish I put in to replace her. Two people who have kept and Bred Sunfish and Rockbass are both on the NANFA (North American Native Fish Association) website, they go by Centrarchid and Bassmaster on NANFA. Centrarchid even has videos on youtube and works at a college here in Missouri. There are books out there like "American Aquarium fishes" and many states have books on their local natives that give good info on breeding, food etc.

 

[warmouth]

After looking at my Petersons manual I agree with you it is a Rockbass (how sad I was hoping you had a Roanoke if its legal) they get very big (here in Missouri the record is 17 inches) and are aggressive, but in a big enough tank can be kept with same sized Sunfish like Greens or maybe a Bluegill, as I said before because of their max size I would go with a big tank.....a 75g would be the minimum.