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Getting Green Sunfish On Pellets

Started by Sean Phillips , Jun 19 2014 06:07 PM

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16 replies to this topic

#1 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 19 June 2014 - 06:07 PM

Had my green sunfish for almost 3 weeks now. I've been feeding frozen and live bloodworms and brine shrimp but I got some hikari cichlid gold pellets (mini size) to try. I put one in and she took it in a few times but kept spitting it out. I then recalled a thread I read on MFK where somebody got their bluegill on pellets but dicing up worms and mixing the "worm juice" in a container with some water and the pellets so the pellets would get softer and smell/taste better. So I did and it only took her two tries to down the first pellet. I soaked another two and she kept taking them in eating tiny pieces at a time but she wouldn't eat the whole thing, I'm guessing she's just full since it's only 2.25" and doesn't have a big stomach or mouth yet but I'll let the pros be the judge of that. I then got tempted so I stuck in a sliver of redworm which she happily inhaled

. Should I just keep doing this method and hope eventually I can convert to dry pellets from the bag? The only problem is if I spoil her with other foods (bloodworms and brine shrimp) I'd be worried she'd just forget the pellets but I can't stop feeding frozen since I have a darter pair in with the sunfish that can't survive solely off the pellets unlike the sunfish. What's your opinion in what method I should do to quickly get it onto plain pellets?

Edited by Everything Fish, 19 June 2014 - 06:09 PM.

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#2 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 06:33 PM

Well you could get a turkey baster and feed the darters that way. But the green will eat them soon. Mine eat flakes with in a hour of capture.

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#3 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 06:34 PM

Use direct feeding with a turkey baster or something similar for the Darters after filling the Green Sunfish up with pellets. The Sunfish should take the pellets before long, but if it has access to tastier food, it will ignore the pellets. Not only will the direct feeding fill the darters up, but it should also help with weening the Sunfish off.

*EDIT: Haha, Sunfish Catcher and I had the same idea, I suppose fish-focused minds think alike!

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#4 Guest_Sunfish catcher 321_*

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 06:52 PM

I direct feed my ell so that is were I got the idea.

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#5 Guest_Subrosa_*

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 07:02 PM

4 or 5 days with no other food should do it, depending on water temps.

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#6 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 19 June 2014 - 08:12 PM

Alright, I'll just use a small turkey baster to feed the darters just enough for them and just give dry pellets (out of the bag) to the sunfish. How many pellets would it be good to feed him per meal (I feed twice a day). Also, my water in that tank ranges from 72-75 right now,

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#7 Guest_AMcCaleb_*

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 07:19 AM

Ok, so I've had several different types of sunfish and the way to get them solely on to pellets is to stop feeding anything else to them. Let them go a day or two without eating and offer them one pellet. If they eat it, offer another. If not, wait another day or two and repeat the process. As for the darters, my Iowa darters live entirely on nls pellets and Wardley sinking shrimp pellets. I don't feed any live or frozen foods to them.

Day5FishTanks. Any other native YouTubers on here?

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#8 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 20 June 2014 - 08:58 AM

Ok, I did notice my darters eating scraps of the pellets that the sunny spot out but being that they're green sides I think they need more of a varied diet than most. I'll just starve her if she won't take to pellets like you suggested. It doesn't help that I'll be at erie for the weekend but I guess I could starve her then.

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#9 Guest_Aireal_*

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 09:36 AM

The starve out worked for my male. He wasn't too fond of them over the flakes and minnows he ate before. But after realizing that all he was getting he was all about it. He gets a variety in his diet now but the main component in his diet are pellets.

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#10 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 20 June 2014 - 09:47 AM

Cool, hopefully I can get mine on pellets by next week since I'm going to catch another (male) green for the same tank and it'd be nice if the female I have now could act as a feeding example.

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#11 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 10:27 AM

Just guessing, but there may be a physiological adjustment that needs to take place when switching to a new food, including adaption of the fish's intestinal bacteria. If the proteins and lipids in pellets (which probably contain some grain-based foods) are different from those in whatever foods the fish was eating in the wild, then different enzymes may be needed to digest them. So it might not just be a simple matter of the fish getting used to the taste and texture of a new food; he might actually not be able to eat and digest it until he (and/or his intestinal bacteria) can make the right enzymes. I suspect this may be a problem for certain finicky wild-caught species with a specialized natural diet (probably NOT the case for sunfish though!)

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#12 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 20 June 2014 - 10:40 AM

Well, he was eating the pellets, they just needed to be softened and "flavored" first. Even when he kept spitting it out he'd just eat the smaller bite-sized pieces that would fall off.

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#13 Guest_AMcCaleb_*

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 11:30 AM

I use seachem garlic guard to soften and flavor up the pellets. Green sides will be fine on pellets too. NLS is a great food for them. It has quality ingredients and the 1mm pellets are the perfect size

Day5FishTanks. Any other native YouTubers on here?

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#14 Sean Phillips

NANFA Member

Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 22 June 2014 - 07:13 PM

Well I've had her readily eating 2-3 dry pellets (per meal) since Friday morning now so I think she's aware they're edible

. I went to go target feed bloodworms to the darters tonight but there was no way around the sunfish, she just followed me to the bottom and ate half the worms I gave the darters. Hopefully this doesn't spoil her and she'll still eat pellets but I think it was a nice treat. Going to get another green tomorrow if the weather stays nice, it'll be in qt for a few days or a week until I can move the darters out.

Edited by Everything Fish, 22 June 2014 - 07:15 PM.

Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

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#15 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 23 June 2014 - 09:32 AM

I did some micro fishing last week and I caught a 3.5 inch Green and added it to my 50 gallon tank with some other centrarchids. The feeding frenzy of the other fish in the tank provided the motive to check the food out. In 3 days it was joining the group and eating New Life Spectrum med. fish formula and now at 5 days is waiting with the others when I walk into the room. Same thing for a 3.5 inch female longear caught at the same time. I try to vary the food and tried Omega One Cichlid medium floating pellets which half of the centrarchids readily eat but the green spits out. He definitely likes the Spectrum.

I was going to reward the fish with some chopped up worm but thought that would not help the process right now with the new fish so I am just using the spectrum. After they are fully acclimatized and eat well I will give them some treats.

A 4 inch male Longear (also caught at the same time) is still sulking at the bottom. He no longer hides but not joining the pack yet or eating. I figure when he gets hungry enough he will join the pack at feeding time.

So each fish is a little different. I think you just need to be patient. Going for the good stuff like worms or insects right away will only delay the process.

Note: I have had other Greens and they always strike me as being a bit more curious and intelligent. Can't fully describe it but it looks like there is something going on in that brain as he swims and explores the tank.

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#16 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 23 June 2014 - 10:13 AM

That depends on the condition, size, and species of the fish when you get it. If the fish looked well-fed and suffered minimal trauma from stream to tank, then yes you can try offering just pellets. This often works with Lepomis, bass, most minnows, bullheads. But if the fish appears stressed or thin, or is a species that is known for being reluctant to taking pellets (Enneacanthus, flier, crappie, darters) then I would not suggest the "wait until they get hungry enough" approach. In those cases it's safer to give them live, fresh, or frozen foods to get their strength and confidence back up, then work on switching to dry foods once they're settled in to captivity.

I was going to reward the fish with some chopped up worm but thought that would not help the process right now with the new fish so I am just using the spectrum. After they are fully acclimatized and eat well I will give them some treats. .... I think you just need to be patient. Going for the good stuff like worms or insects right away will only delay the process.

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#17 Guest_AMcCaleb_*

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Posted 24 June 2014 - 08:39 AM

That depends on the condition, size, and species of the fish when you get it. If the fish looked well-fed and suffered minimal trauma from stream to tank, then yes you can try offering just pellets. This often works with Lepomis, bass, most minnows, bullheads. But if the fish appears stressed or thin, or is a species that is known for being reluctant to taking pellets (Enneacanthus, flier, crappie, darters) then I would not suggest the "wait until they get hungry enough" approach. In those cases it's safer to give them live, fresh, or frozen foods to get their strength and confidence back up, then work on switching to dry foods once they're settled in to captivity.

That's a good point. All my experience has been with the non-picky, lepomis species. For more finicky eaters, or seriously stressed fish, I would get them eating and healthy looking first before trying to make them switch

Day5FishTanks. Any other native YouTubers on here?