In a primarily sunfish tank, is it common to employ underwater currents like in a normal cichlid or saltwater tank? Again apology on the the newbie questions today. Thanks for any info.
water currents in a sunfish tank?
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, Mar 06 2007 03:28 PM
17 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_killier_*
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 04:04 PM
I dont think it would be needed Ihave greensunfish and a bluegill in a reg. 55g with no extra filters or airstones only a biowheel. so I would say no but if you do deside to use a current it wouldnt hurt. 
#3
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 05:05 PM
It won't hurt anything but extra flow is not needed. The only time I would think it would be a problem is if you had a huge amount of flow you may wear out the sunfish because they aren't use to that much current but that would take a lot of powerheads to get to that point.
#4
Guest_viridari_*
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 05:28 PM
I try to match the environment that I took the fish from.
Fish like bluegills I more commonly catch in ponds and slow deep pools in rivers. So I keep them in tanks with less turbulence.
I always seem to catch Dollar Sunfish in faster moving shallow riffles and thus keep them in more turbulent waters.
Fish like bluegills I more commonly catch in ponds and slow deep pools in rivers. So I keep them in tanks with less turbulence.
I always seem to catch Dollar Sunfish in faster moving shallow riffles and thus keep them in more turbulent waters.
#5
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 06:48 PM
viridari I find it hard to believe your finding dollar sunfish in fast flowing water. Dollar sunfish are found in swamps and backwater areas not fast water, I would be willing to bet that you are actually finding longear sunfish not dollars. Longears are usually found in streams near wood or undercut banks over gravel or other hard substrate where there is more current. The two can be very difficult to distinguish (especially at a small size) and one trick that many people use is often what habitat the fish came from because there is such a distinct difference in the habitat use of the two. Find a longear/dollar in a swamp it likely is a dollar, find a longear/dollar in a flowing stream it likely is a longear.
#6
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 08:05 PM
Killier:I dont think it would be needed Ihave greensunfish and a bluegill in a reg. 55g with no extra filters or airstones only a biowheel. so I would say no but if you do deside to use a current it wouldnt hurt.
How big is your bluegill?
#7
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 08:09 PM
viridari I find it hard to believe your finding dollar sunfish in fast flowing water.
Small tributaries of the Eno River in Hillsborough, NC to be exact. Very small waters that often yield MRBD, (now questioned) Dollar Sunfish, and Creek Chub for me.
I would be willing to bet that you are actually finding longear sunfish not dollars. Longears are usually found in streams near wood or undercut banks over gravel or other hard substrate where there is more current. The two can be very difficult to distinguish (especially at a small size) and one trick that many people use is often what habitat the fish came from because there is such a distinct difference in the habitat use of the two. Find a longear/dollar in a swamp it likely is a dollar, find a longear/dollar in a flowing stream it likely is a longear.
I might have to grow some out then for better ID.
#8
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 09:05 PM
my bluegill is now 3inches and my pseed is 4.5inches
one I got as a feeder goldfish and the other was captured in a private pond
one I got as a feeder goldfish and the other was captured in a private pond
#9
Guest_joia2181_*
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Posted 06 March 2007 - 10:25 PM
Dam guys!
I do love when there is points to argue though. In a man made pond, only about 1/8 arce, I've sample almost all the common species down at the outlet stream. I have to say the size of the pond was relative to how easy it was to sample but I've chased bluegill and even baby yellow bullheads into stream rip rap. Again, not like that's a normal spot but they have hid there for protection. Again thanks for all the discussions!
I do love when there is points to argue though. In a man made pond, only about 1/8 arce, I've sample almost all the common species down at the outlet stream. I have to say the size of the pond was relative to how easy it was to sample but I've chased bluegill and even baby yellow bullheads into stream rip rap. Again, not like that's a normal spot but they have hid there for protection. Again thanks for all the discussions!
#10
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Posted 20 March 2007 - 04:21 PM
Sunfish are my favorite. Normal power filter and biowheel is all I have ever used. Works great. Undergravel with powerheads for the lift tubes thats great to. I do not think any special flow or current tank is needed for any sunfish species. Actually I feel it is the other way around. If anything the slower water is better "on average" for most of the sunfish species. That is my trial and error speaking. No book to back it up just experience and it works kind of thing.
Sunfish I curently have!
Sunfish I curently have!
#11
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Posted 20 March 2007 - 05:39 PM
This may be a late reply, but I'd have to agree with the person who suggested longears were found in current, not dollars. Although any sunfish might be found in current when migrating for whatever reason, dollars I keep and dollars I have collected [Arkansas and Louisiana] were always found pools or even more often, plants along shore or along islands in creeks and swamps. They may well spend time in open water in the wild, however, I doubt I'd get much opportunity to catch them as they could easily outswim my dipnet. I raise them in my pond and as the temps warm up, they migrate out to open water scouring the pond for food. Early morning nearly always finds them in or at the edges of water plant patches. I have kept orangespots, pumkinseeds, greens, dollars and longears and all seem to thrive in the no current conditions that dominate about 90% of the time in their tank. The other 10% is when my aerator activates and surges enough to create current. All of the sunfishes find locations under logs, behind rocks or in water plants patches that minimize the current, occasionally zipping out into the current to nab a damselfly nymph or gammarus foolhardy enough to take that opportunity to move from one hiding locale to another.
Bruce
Bruce
#12
Guest_joia2181_*
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Posted 20 March 2007 - 07:40 PM
Nope, it anit to late.
And I think you have a good point. I'm up north in MA, majority of sunfishs are pumpkin seeds and blue gill that are easliy scooped. And being an avid fisher, you find sunfish in the slower moving waters, I agree. But being the rookie native tank keeper, I just thought it might be a good idea for filtration/habitat to have some circulation going. This is in a 90 that will be planted and still have some bigger tank mates besides. I'm even going to set up some under gravel tunnels for the smaller bottom hangers. Maybe even some darters will live.. Anyhow I am a noob so all the advice I get is much appreciated!
And I think you have a good point. I'm up north in MA, majority of sunfishs are pumpkin seeds and blue gill that are easliy scooped. And being an avid fisher, you find sunfish in the slower moving waters, I agree. But being the rookie native tank keeper, I just thought it might be a good idea for filtration/habitat to have some circulation going. This is in a 90 that will be planted and still have some bigger tank mates besides. I'm even going to set up some under gravel tunnels for the smaller bottom hangers. Maybe even some darters will live.. Anyhow I am a noob so all the advice I get is much appreciated!
#13
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Posted 22 March 2007 - 08:23 AM
Sunfish Rule. But I would be careful with the darters. Unless they are some of the larger species like tangerine darters or log perch that get big. I was just informed that payback is on the way. The person I shipped some fish to is sending me five Blue Spotted. I have been wanting those for years. Dreams do come true. 
Daniel
Daniel
#14
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Posted 22 March 2007 - 09:57 AM
Viridari - those are redbreast sunfish in Eno River, and yes they like current. Dollars in NC are limited to coastal plain and sandhills, normally in still or very slow water. Menhinick's NC fishes book shows a dollar dot on the lower Eno east of Durham and a couple dots near Charlotte and Gastonia but i suspect those are mis-IDs from old collections. Longear in NC occurs only near the TN border, and may be extirpated from our state; no NC records for many years.
Small tributaries of the Eno River in Hillsborough, NC to be exact. Very small waters that often yield MRBD, (now questioned) Dollar Sunfish, and Creek Chub for me.
I might have to grow some out then for better ID.
#15
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Posted 22 March 2007 - 11:25 AM
Viridari - those are redbreast sunfish in Eno River, and yes they like current.
Gaaah. I yield to your experience in these matters.
#16
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Posted 22 March 2007 - 02:31 PM
That assessment by Gerald makes sense to me too, small redbreast do look a lot like a dollar or longear. I have none at this time but have sampled redbreast in half a dozen different places all but one being flowing streams or rivers. The exception was lake Lanier in GA. As adults the do get a very long opercle like a longear.
#17
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Posted 23 March 2007 - 09:05 PM
That assessment by Gerald makes sense to me too, small redbreast do look a lot like a dollar or longear. I have none at this time but have sampled redbreast in half a dozen different places all but one being flowing streams or rivers. The exception was lake Lanier in GA. As adults the do get a very long opercle like a longear.
What is your experience with the temperment of a redbreast. I catch some here that are so so colorful. Just wondering how they would do with northern long ears and possibly orange spots.
Thanks,
Daniel
#18
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Posted 23 March 2007 - 10:14 PM
I have never actually kept redbreast just caught them several times, so I can't say much about their temperament.
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