Which type of bass could I keep in a 55 gallon? And where could i get that species? I would have to buy it on the internet,
bass in a 55 gallon
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, Nov 17 2013 12:16 AM
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#2
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 01:00 AM
Really. None of the Micropterus are going to be happy for long in a 55. Lepomis are a much better bet. They are more fun, and easier to feed as well. If you are looking for an interesting predator that could live in a 55, get a grass or redfin pickerel. A 55 is a small tank. It is really too small for anything larger than sunfish.
Pickerel are pretty sedentary, other than when food is present. I think you could keep one or two happy in a 55. Also they are not aggressive towards other fish at all, unless it fits in their mouths. So you could keep another species with them as well, as long as it was large enough, and was not very territorial. Pickerel won't defend themselves.
Pickerel are pretty sedentary, other than when food is present. I think you could keep one or two happy in a 55. Also they are not aggressive towards other fish at all, unless it fits in their mouths. So you could keep another species with them as well, as long as it was large enough, and was not very territorial. Pickerel won't defend themselves.
#3
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#4
Guest_Leo1234_*
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 01:03 AM
sorry... i was just wondering since people have told me before that they would... also pikes and Pickerel are illegal in California.
#5
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 01:30 AM
Sorry? For what? Asking a question? I guess I should have not started out with "Really". But if you knew how many times we have been asked that same question, you would get it. Yours was not bad at all. I have heard bass in a 10 gallon questions. That is a bummer about Esox being illegal there. I would shoot for Lepomis. Heck, green sunfish, if they are legal there, are pretty predatory, and also easy to get pellet trained.Truthfully though, if you want a really cool native 55 gallon tank, set up excellent filtration, do regular water changes, and put a nice variety of shiners, darters, etc. If legal, could even throw in a couple of mudminnows, for a small pike like predator.
#6
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 12:54 PM
Green sunfish would be cool, but aren't they one of the most aggressive sunfish? If they would do well with fish like a central longear and a lake chubsucker, then I guess it would be cool.
Thank you for the response clarifying that it would not work. I guess I will have to wait until I can get a large aquarium.
By the way gars, bowfins, pikes, yellow perch, gizzard shad are all Illegal sadly.
It is probably because we have a lot of biological hotspots here and a lot of endangered animals that now only live here.
Also California is just strict on laws in general. If only there were native fish stores here so I would not have to pay $60.00 for 3 bluegills or other fish.
Sorry you get this kind of question a lot. It must be frustrating to answer the same question a lot.
I just will ask questions to clarify if it is right or wrong, even if i do not believe it is possible.
Thank you for the response clarifying that it would not work. I guess I will have to wait until I can get a large aquarium.
By the way gars, bowfins, pikes, yellow perch, gizzard shad are all Illegal sadly.
It is probably because we have a lot of biological hotspots here and a lot of endangered animals that now only live here.
Also California is just strict on laws in general. If only there were native fish stores here so I would not have to pay $60.00 for 3 bluegills or other fish.
Sorry you get this kind of question a lot. It must be frustrating to answer the same question a lot.
I just will ask questions to clarify if it is right or wrong, even if i do not believe it is possible.
Edited by Leo1234, 17 November 2013 - 12:56 PM.
#7
Guest_Erica Lyons_*
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 12:58 PM
I agree that sunfish are a good substitute for bass since you're limited to 55 gallons. They look similar to bass and they move more frequently than pickerel.
Here's a video of a person feeding minnows to sunfish so you can see that sunfish are a pretty good predator substitute for bass.
Nom nom nom.
Why do you want the bass? For watching them eat other fish or for the color? Longear, dollar, or orangespotted sunfish have a lot of color. Bluegill and green sunfish are excellent predators. If there's a size difference, the smaller fish will get eaten. You can breed a fish like heterandria formosa (the males max out at 3 cm) to encourage feeding behavior in the smaller sunfish. Orangespotteds max out around 4 or 5 inches and would have plenty of space in a 55. Dollars get larger, longears larger still. You can have both color and feeding behavior.
Which species of sunfish are legal for you to keep?
Here's a video of a person feeding minnows to sunfish so you can see that sunfish are a pretty good predator substitute for bass.
Nom nom nom.
Why do you want the bass? For watching them eat other fish or for the color? Longear, dollar, or orangespotted sunfish have a lot of color. Bluegill and green sunfish are excellent predators. If there's a size difference, the smaller fish will get eaten. You can breed a fish like heterandria formosa (the males max out at 3 cm) to encourage feeding behavior in the smaller sunfish. Orangespotteds max out around 4 or 5 inches and would have plenty of space in a 55. Dollars get larger, longears larger still. You can have both color and feeding behavior.
Which species of sunfish are legal for you to keep?
#8
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 01:23 PM
all sunfish are allowed. I just thought the shape, color, etc. was cool. I do want a green sunfish, but i do not wand it to hurt my more peaceful fish in the 55 gallon like my largest bluegill. for some odd reason, my large bluegill never would be mean to the others, but the smaller 2 like to just show off to each other. What they do is looks like it would be aggression, but they never chase or bite each other. I do have other fish that I have until I get a 100-200 gallon aquarium that are peaceful like my 3 inch black crappie. He does not get chased, but he will back down if another fish is going for the same exact blood worm. Also if you are wondering why I have these fish in a 55 gallon, most of my books and some websites said it would be ok since they would not get to full size (ex. bluegill would get less than 16 inches).
Edited by Leo1234, 17 November 2013 - 01:26 PM.
#9
Guest_Erica Lyons_*
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Posted 17 November 2013 - 03:20 PM
What size aquarium to keep your fish in is all about you and your personal preferences. Fish aren't covered under the animal cruelty laws, that I know of, so you see a whole spectrum of tanks size recommendations. I was talking to one of the public aquarium keepers recently about a sand substrate for a geophagus (sand sifting fish) and he said enrichment is more of a mammal and bird thing at the aquarium. So even die-hard fish enthusiasts don't all agree on what is best for the fish or if they even care. So it is entirely up to you what tank size you decide to keep your fish in.
Myself, I like my fish's tank to be about the size of their territory in the wild or at least fairly close to their daily patrol area. A fish isn't purely a decoration. It's also got interesting behaviors, which you won't necessarily be able to see and enjoy in all setups. So you'd never see me setting up any sort of normal pet store sized aquarium for a crappie fish, which grow to be a foot long and patrol much more space than even a 400 gallon tank could provide. The fish I keep tend to be territorial and small. I'm sure they know they're in captivity, but hopefully they're also able to claim the space they need to feel at home and be able to breed comfortably.
Also, tiny fish can be cool, too.
Myself, I like my fish's tank to be about the size of their territory in the wild or at least fairly close to their daily patrol area. A fish isn't purely a decoration. It's also got interesting behaviors, which you won't necessarily be able to see and enjoy in all setups. So you'd never see me setting up any sort of normal pet store sized aquarium for a crappie fish, which grow to be a foot long and patrol much more space than even a 400 gallon tank could provide. The fish I keep tend to be territorial and small. I'm sure they know they're in captivity, but hopefully they're also able to claim the space they need to feel at home and be able to breed comfortably.
Also, tiny fish can be cool, too.
#10
Guest_Leo1234_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 08:58 PM
I wish I could get a 400 gallon aquarium, but I think It would need only a 100? Or as long as it has more than enough space to turn around. I would get a 6ft long x 2-3ft wide x 18inches tall aquarium or something like that. I also thought a Black crappie was a fish that stayed in a certain territory or area?
Edited by Leo1234, 19 November 2013 - 09:01 PM.
#11
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:16 PM
If you want a "bass" you could shoot for rock bass.
#12
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:20 PM
I said more than enough space to turn around as in more than 1.75 times their size. Also I can not find a website that sells them.
#13
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:21 PM
A 2 foot by whatever length footprint is what I would look for as a size for larger predators. I kept a smallmouth for a while in my 240, which was 2x8x2. I believe he was quite happy, and would have been probably for life.
Crappie are great, beautiful, and showy. They however are difficult to get on prepared foods, I was able to do it, but they are timid and slow about feeding. So if you plan to keep them with other fish, prepare to have the tank stocked regularly with a good supply of feeder fish.That way they crappie can pick at pellets, but snag a minnow as wanted.
Crappie are great, beautiful, and showy. They however are difficult to get on prepared foods, I was able to do it, but they are timid and slow about feeding. So if you plan to keep them with other fish, prepare to have the tank stocked regularly with a good supply of feeder fish.That way they crappie can pick at pellets, but snag a minnow as wanted.
#14
Guest_Erica Lyons_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:25 PM
I keep my one inch long pygmy sunfish in a tank that is 48" x 18" x 21". That is 48, 18, and 21 times their body lengths. That's why I shuddered at the idea of keeping a fish in a tank only 2x their length. There's a dramatic reduction in behaviors when they have no space to maneuver, form territories, court mates, raise young, etc. Without movement and thought on their part, a fish is nothing more than a pretty, stationary decoration. *shrugs* Different strokes for different folks. There aren't any animal cruelty laws about fish that I know of. Society does not care what size tank you keep your fish in; it's all personal choice.I said more than enough space to turn around as in more than 1.75 times their size. Also I can not find a website that sells them.
#15
Guest_Leo1234_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:25 PM
When I got mine, It instantly started eating frozen bloodworms (as in when it started to eat in my tank, which took a day) It is about 2 inches right now and I am planing to upgrade to A big tank ( about 200).
#16
Guest_Erica Lyons_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:28 PM
Here's a video that might make the 200 more affordable, when you get one. DIY is often $1 a gallon ish. In that video he spent $375 building that 237 gallon tank and its stand.
#17
Guest_Leo1234_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:30 PM
This is the aquarium hobby and I noticed not everyone can agree on a certain size tank. Obviously It needs a big tank, but I got it because i am planning to get a bigger tank. If I can not find one, I can put it in my backyard pond, give him to a LFS, or give him to someone I know that has a big pond (20+ feet in size). Also my dad is a woodworker and can build the stand for me. And he knows how to make it waterproof.
Edited by Leo1234, 19 November 2013 - 09:32 PM.
#18
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:32 PM
If you get yourself set up, and are dead set on keeping a bass, let me know. There is a hatchery near me that I can get bass fingerlings from, that are legal. If your crappie is eating frozen, keep it that way.
#19
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:34 PM
Thanks for the offer, I will remember that for when I have the tank and if i still want a bass. By the way, what type of bass are they?If you get yourself set up, and are dead set on keeping a bass, let me know. There is a hatchery near me that I can get bass fingerlings from, that are legal. If your crappie is eating frozen, keep it that way.
#20
Guest_Erica Lyons_*
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Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:35 PM
Your dad is a woodworker? Score, you can get a massive tank easy if you've already got the tools and someone skilled to use them. Please do check out that video I posted. It's very easy to make your own large tank if you already know how to work wood.Also my dad is a woodworker and can build the stand for me. And he knows how to make it waterproof.
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