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Green Sunfish


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#1 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 27 May 2014 - 07:19 PM

I have a tank that is 30 by 12 by 18 inches. Can I keep a green in there. Also I have caught and released a fish that looked like a green but had red behind the black part of the gill plate. Forgive the lack of fish parts please. Can I keep two in their.

Edited by Sunfish catcher 321, 27 May 2014 - 07:21 PM.


#2 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

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Posted 27 May 2014 - 11:43 PM

According to the Illinois DNR, you have several species of sunfish near you.

From dnr.state.il.us/education/fish/species.htm

Family Centrarchidae--Sunfish Family
rock bass-- Ambloplites rupestris
flier-- Centrarchus macropterus
warmouth-- Chaenobryttus gulosus
green sunfish-- Lepomis cyanellus
pumpkinseed-- Lepomis gibbosus
orangespotted sunfish-- Lepomis humilis
bluegill-- Lepomis macrochirus
longear sunfish-- Lepomis megalotis
redear sunfish-- Lepomis microlophus
redspotted sunfish-- Lepomis miniatus [state threatened]
bantam sunfish-- Lepomis symmetricus [state threatened]
smallmouth bass-- Micropterus dolomieu
spotted bass-- Micropterus punctulatus
largemouth bass-- Micropterus salmoides
white crappie-- Pomoxis annularis
black crappie-- Pomoxis nigromaculatus


Which one you saw sorta depends on pictures of the fish if you have them. Redear comes to mind. Pumpkinseed can also have red operculum.

Personally I would get a bigger tank and then fill it with many sunfish. From what I hear on this forum and from what I've experienced with African cichlids, many fish diffuses aggression. Pairs and trios don't.

#3 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 08:42 AM

Northern Longear might have red eartab as well.

#4 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 09:20 AM

Greens often have some red-orange on the opercular flap too. For example this one:
http://nc.water.usgs...en.sunfish.html

You can TRY keeping two in a 29-gal when they're small, and MAYBE they'll grow up as friends, but don't count on it.
You may have to separate them or move them to a much bigger tank. This is true of all Lepomis sunfishes.

#5 Guest_Joshaeus_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 10:39 AM

29 gallon tanks are large enough for a group of six bantam or orangespotted sunfish, if I recall what Zimmerman has said before correctly, but all other sunfish would be either too large for that tank or would need to be specimen fish in it.

#6 Guest_steve_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 11:07 AM

My thoughts are that it could make a nice single specimen tank for a green sunfish, but I can't think of anything else that would work well in there with it.

#7 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 11:42 AM

You could also go another direction for a multiple fish tank. Go six or more and seriously upgrade your filtration system and get rigorous with your water changes.

#8 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 08:31 PM

I think I will go with the one green I have. I think it was a green I caught. Also I am getting a 100 gallon tank for my turtle and have one green with him can I get another green with him. The filter is a aquatop cf500 with uv and is raided for 175.

#9 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 28 May 2014 - 09:30 PM

Sometimes you just have to give it a shot, and see if it works. It is hard for people to give advice like this. What works for one, may not work for another.

#10 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 29 May 2014 - 03:02 PM

Alright I will try in the summer.

#11 Sean Phillips

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Posted 10 June 2014 - 11:37 AM

I'n keeping my green in a 30 long. He's currently with two greenside darters but I'll be moving them soon since I know the green isn't going to tolerate them for a whole lot longer, he already killed the chub I had in the tank with him. They make good wet pets though :)
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

#12 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 10 June 2014 - 11:48 AM

I think greens are the best.




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