HI I'm new and have a few questions

Hi, I just found this site about 2 days ago..(glad I did).
Well I'll begin with my tank...I have a 29 gal with two 3" sunfish, two 6" yellow bullheads , two 4-5" rock bass (my favorite) and my lone crayfish... I have a couple fake plants, some pvc pipe (mainly for the bullheads) occasionally the bass will check them out.
This time of year the only thing they get to eat is minnows...In the other seasons they get lots of bugs and worms. What do you think of my tank..Is it to crowded? Any suggestions for foods other than minnows?
I do have a air stone and filter....Thats about it. Thanks, Stephanie

Some people here are going to tell you you're tank is too crowded, others will say it's not. Some think you need to keep fish isolated within their own territories to curb aggression. Some think you overcrowd them to curb aggression, so none of them can establish a territory to defend. I'm in the latter camp. If the fish appear to have enough swimming room, and your filtration can keep up, then I think you're fine. As some of those fish grow, they may become overcrowded. You're just going to have to watch them and get more and/or bigger tanks if necessary.

If your tank is not too crowded now, it will be pretty soon. All of those species grow too large to have more than one or two of them in a 29 gallon tank. At this point you should be doing very regular water changes to keep them healthy. As they grow, you will need to change water obsessively to prevent a major disaster. As for food, there are lots of choices. If you want to stick with live foods, you can buy crickets, earthworms, shrimps, feeder fish, etc. Frozen salad shrimp works well. Crayfish actually like some veggies in their diet. You can probably train your fish to take freeze dried and prepared packaged food too. Plankton and cichlid sticks are good options. There is a wide range of frozen feeds at your local pet shop.

Anyway, welcome to the forum. I hope you find this a friendly and fun place to talk fish!

Hi, I just found this site about 2 days ago..(glad I did).
Well I'll begin with my tank...I have a 29 gal with two 3" sunfish, two 6" yellow bullheads , two 4-5" rock bass (my favorite) and my lone crayfish... I have a couple fake plants, some pvc pipe (mainly for the bullheads) occasionally the bass will check them out.
This time of year the only thing they get to eat is minnows...In the other seasons they get lots of bugs and worms. What do you think of my tank..Is it to crowded? Any suggestions for foods other than minnows?
I do have a air stone and filter....Thats about it. Thanks, Stephanie

The bullheads and rock basses both have the ability to reach 12", that's about half the length of a standard 29g. Many sunfish species also grow to a very large size but you didn't mentiod what kind you have, so it is important to tell us what species they are. Though they may seem alright now you will need to plan on getting a larger tank shortly. That or get different fish. There are many fish similer to the ones you have that would fit in the 29g. Madtoms could replace bullheads and smaller sunfishes to replace the rock bass.
As for diet, I highly suggest you try to feed them a good quality pellet. These are less expensive in the long run and have all the nutrients your fish need, nutrients that may be lacking in a feeder fish diet. And though feeders are an alright food source they do carry a level of risk, as do wild caught inverts becuase of any diseases they may have or any chemicals they may have made contact with.

The bullheads and rock basses both have the ability to reach 12", that's about half the length of a standard 29g. Many sunfish species also grow to a very large size but you didn't mentiod what kind you have, so it is important to tell us what species they are. Though they may seem alright now you will need to plan on getting a larger tank shortly. That or get different fish. There are many fish similer to the ones you have that would fit in the 29g. Madtoms could replace bullheads and smaller sunfishes to replace the rock bass.
As for diet, I highly suggest you try to feed them a good quality pellet. These are less expensive in the long run and have all the nutrients your fish need, nutrients that may be lacking in a feeder fish diet. And though feeders are an alright food source they do carry a level of risk, as do wild caught inverts becuase of any diseases they may have or any chemicals they may have made contact with.

Thanks for the replies...My sunfish are pumpkin seeds...no I'm not going to get rid of any of my fish I just love them all...I already have a couple 55 gal. lined up..But they are going to wait a few weeks til my refund comes...I really love my rock bass they are my favorites. All are getting along pretty good right now...probobly not for long I'm sure...
While I'm thinking about it my one rock bass has a sore on his lower lip that is not healing, not getting any worse either...its been about a month now. One of my bull heads grabbed a minnow the same time the bass did and grabbed his lip...I tried some salt lots of water changes ..What do you suggest? Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions...Stephanie

Thanks for the replies...My sunfish are pumpkin seeds...no I'm not going to get rid of any of my fish I just love them all...I already have a couple 55 gal. lined up..But they are going to wait a few weeks til my refund comes...I really love my rock bass they are my favorites. All are getting along pretty good right now...probobly not for long I'm sure...
While I'm thinking about it my one rock bass has a sore on his lower lip that is not healing, not getting any worse either...its been about a month now. One of my bull heads grabbed a minnow the same time the bass did and grabbed his lip...I tried some salt lots of water changes ..What do you suggest? Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions...Stephanie

Pumpkinseeds can grow to a pretty decent size but large ones aren't common. Yours will proably reach about 8" or so. The pumpkinseeds and rockbass are slow growers IME but bullheads grow pretty fast. You might be able to divide those fish up between two 55 gallons. With frequent water changes you should be able to get buy with two sunfish (rockbass count as sunfish) and a bullhead in eatch 55g but IMO and IME that would be pushing it a bit.
As for the sore, time heals all wounds. Just leave it be is my advice and make sure the water is in good condition to prevent infection. If it concerns you that much perhaps try Melafix but don't keep adding salt, bullhead don't handle salt well.

My stock would be like:
1st: 2 rock bass, 2 pumpkin seeds
2nd: 2 bullheads, maybe a larger sunfish to occupy the top/middle of the tank (aren't bullheads catfish that spend the majority of the time on the bottom?).

I really wouldn't split it up as 2 sunfish and a bullhead in each. 2 fish are more prone to fighting, having more gives the "lost in the crowd" type of effect, which is why I'd go all 4 sunfish in 1 tank.

My stock would be like:
1st: 2 rock bass, 2 pumpkin seeds
2nd: 2 bullheads, maybe a larger sunfish to occupy the top/middle of the tank (aren't bullheads catfish that spend the majority of the time on the bottom?).

I really wouldn't split it up as 2 sunfish and a bullhead in each. 2 fish are more prone to fighting, having more gives the "lost in the crowd" type of effect, which is why I'd go all 4 sunfish in 1 tank.

Thanks so much. Now I just need to figure out where to put these tanks.

Thanks so much. Now I just need to figure out where to put these tanks.

Oh one more thing. How do you get your fish to eat pellets? Do you just stop feeding them their live food and hope they get hungry enough to eat the pellets? Will all of them eventually eat pellets? (sunfish, rock bass and bullheads) Thanks

My stock would be like:
1st: 2 rock bass, 2 pumpkin seeds
2nd: 2 bullheads, maybe a larger sunfish to occupy the top/middle of the tank (aren't bullheads catfish that spend the majority of the time on the bottom?).

I really wouldn't split it up as 2 sunfish and a bullhead in each. 2 fish are more prone to fighting, having more gives the "lost in the crowd" type of effect, which is why I'd go all 4 sunfish in 1 tank.

Two fully grown bullhead are also prone to fighting. The reason I would slip it like that is to try to avoid overstocking. Two 12" rockbass and two 8" pumpkinseed in a 55g is really pushing it IMO. Also, yes...the sunfish might fight...but they might not. I haven't had very much aggresion issues with any of my sunfish no matter the stocking ratio. It's worth a try anyway.

Oh one more thing. How do you get your fish to eat pellets? Do you just stop feeding them their live food and hope they get hungry enough to eat the pellets? Will all of them eventually eat pellets? (sunfish, rock bass and bullheads) Thanks

The bullhead and pumpkinseeds will probably take pellets right away, the rock bass would be more tricky but not impossable. You could try mixing it with the food you currently use and see if they go after it. Or you could try to starve them. There are several method, you just gotta experiment.