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Bluegill from lake in my aquarium?

Started by Guest_sandlewoodsam_* , Jun 04 2014 11:40 AM

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3 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_sandlewoodsam_*

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Posted 04 June 2014 - 11:40 AM

Hello. I'm about a week out on finishing the cycle in my 55g.

I was talking to my uncle and he was telling me that he kept a few small bluegill from his lake in a small outdoor pond last summer and put them back in his lake in the fall. He said he fed them flake food and they did just fine.

I started reading about the idea, and had no idea there were so many people with a dedicated interest in keeping native fish in aquariums. It has been a real eye-opener. Very glad to have found this forum.

I'm thinking about putting 3 or 4 bluegill in my aquarium. They would be in the 2"-3" range. Caught by seine from my lake. I'm thinking when they get larger, I could return them right back to my lake.

Is this a recipe for disaster? I have a lot of reading to do, I know, but I'd really appreciate any input regarding issues I need to make sure I understand about keeping sunfish in particular or natives in general. I'm especially concerned about filtration and feeding. And what about aggression issues?

Very glad to have found the group. Thanks for reading and any input.

#2 Guest_killier_*

Guests

Posted 04 June 2014 - 12:10 PM

It is extremely unethical to re-release fish after having been subject to captive care. Exposure to disease and genetic dilution are some of the more major issues in this. That being said, with a 55 gallon tank there are several species of sunfish that could maintained without much of an issue.

#3 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 04 June 2014 - 03:11 PM

Bluegill have the potential to get very large and not really be suitable for a 55 gallon tank... but of course, that would be some time down the road. Like Robert said, there are a lot of other sunfish that could happily live in a 55. To answer some of your other questions, no there are not any special filtration concerns (sunfish are big fish relatively speaking and messy eaters, so it is like trying to keep an oscar or jack dempsey fish. And feeding is easy since they will pretty much eat anything once they get used to you being the food guy... there are pellets out there that they will eat pretty easily. And look around here on the forum you will see lots of discussions on the best way to handle the aggression that is expected from sunfish.

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

#4 Guest_sandlewoodsam_*

Guests

Posted 05 June 2014 - 10:29 AM

Thanks for the replies. After doing more reading, both on this forum and the wider net, I think I've determined that keeping native fish is just not for me.

I will most definitely be looking at minnows and darters with new eyes on my next fishing trip. And learning about the Niangua Darter, an endangered species here in my own "backyard", gave me lots to think about.

Wishing you all great success with your efforts.