Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Sunfish on the nest

Started by Guest_FirstChAoS_* , Jul 09 2011 11:23 PM

Please log in to reply

3 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

Guests

Posted 09 July 2011 - 11:23 PM

Today I saw a (most likely) lepomis sunfish on a nest in the Ashuelot river and snapped some photos of it, a few of them came out somewhat good. I have no idea if it is possible to identify it from up top down pictures but it DID make me wonder on a few sunfish questions.

A few years ago I saw a small largemouth bass on a nest, on the week of June 20th. (it was a well protected nest walled off between 3 trees). I assume this was late as it was after the may 15th to june 15th catch and release date that protects the nesting. Is late nesters unusual in centrarchids?

Here are a few pictures of the lepomis I found. I had to take alot of pics before I got some decent ones.

Posted Image

The last image, while not the best, illustrates a trait of which my second question is based. I never seen in in a sunny in an aquarium or caught on hook and line, but sunnies on the nest (at least pumpkinseeds in pond with their blue fins and this with its greenish ones) develope bright fin edges. Why?

Wouldn't having bright colors on a nest be a disadvantage as it makes you an easy target to predators and reveals your nest to egg eaters?

I also found it unusual that this stream dwelling sunny had a nest made from gravel as most pond dwelling ones make nests from sand.

Edited by FirstChAoS, 09 July 2011 - 11:23 PM.

Back to top

#2 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 09 July 2011 - 11:39 PM

Regards nest material... most sunnies do not actually build a nest... they clear off a spot... so whatever is the substrate is what you see after they clean off everything else... so a pond dweller will clear an area down to the clean dirt or sand bottom... a stream dweller will clear off an area down to the gravel substrate.

Regards white edged fins... a few different sunnies have this... and yes, all bright colors do attracty attention... but that does not prevent males from many speciies from sporting them. Green sunfish have such white edged fins... maybe you saw a green?

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

Back to top

#3 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

Guests

Posted 10 July 2011 - 01:55 AM

Regards white edged fins... a few different sunnies have this... and yes, all bright colors do attracty attention... but that does not prevent males from many speciies from sporting them. Green sunfish have such white edged fins... maybe you saw a green?

Last I knew greens were not yet introduced to my state. However we have pumpkinseed, redbreast, and bluegill. All of which occur in different parts of the river. I am tempted to say redbreast as this was in the main river (albiet at the edge).

Back to top

#4 littlen

NANFA Member

Washington, D.C.

Posted 11 July 2011 - 07:18 AM

First,

Males of most of NA natives color up during the breeding season to draw attention to themselves from potential mates/females. While yes, it does also catch a potential predators eye, being the most colorful also gives them the greatest advantage. Survival of the fittest comes to mind as being the biggest, most colorful, healthy, individual allows one the best chance to produce offspring. Pun intended/not intended----but there is a high price to pay for sex in the animal world. A colorful male could either fertilize the eggs of many different females, or get himself eaten. It's a game of chance but the price of securing viable offspring in the future is worth it.

Frogs call at night to alert females of their location...but skunks, racoons, Cajuns with flashlights, etc. also hear the males croaking. Same goes with male birds and lizard species where males display with dewlaps.... to name a few other examples.

Nick L.