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Brownie's gone...Now what?


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#1 steve

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Posted 22 April 2016 - 08:47 PM

A week ago tonight my beloved smallmouth bass Brownie passed away.  In 7 years he grew from 5" to 22" and became as close a pet as any cat or dog.  He typically had a late winter slump and just didn't pull out of it this year.  Keeping him the past 7 years has been tremendous fun but I'm trying to tell myself not to keep something that large again.  I also really enjoy my darters, dace, longear sunfish, and rock bass, but I find that I'm just missing that 'in your face' Micropterus attitude.

   My question is; Does anyone have any experience with something that would have a personality similar to an SMB or other Micropterus and would be both large enough and small enough to be a single specimen in a 150 gallon?  I'm thinking that a max size of around 15 inches or so would be good.  It would also be simpler if it's native to south eastern Ohio.  Thanks.



#2 Betta132

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Posted 23 April 2016 - 01:42 AM

Sorry for your loss, losing a big personable fish always sucks.

Do you have warmouth sunnies in the area? They can reach about that large if fed a whole lot, and they have a LOT of personality. Also, they're great for impressing guests- just show 'em how he can go from "eager staring" to "SUPERSONIC FOOD ENGULFING" in 0.2 seconds. You can also keep other sunfish with them, as long as they can't fit the other fish in their mouth.


Edited by Betta132, 23 April 2016 - 01:53 AM.


#3 littlen

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Posted 23 April 2016 - 10:51 AM

If you're looking for a challenge (in terms of keeping the animal IN the tank and not escaping, and also displaying it such that it can hide in some sort of structure but be visible at the same time) then I would highly recommend an American eel.  Once they get comfortable in their tank, they become very personable and will hand-feed and respond to you approaching the tank.

Now I know they will exceed the 15" cutoff you were looking at, but I would be comfortable with a 3' eel in a 150.  I'm sure you'd enjoy starting off with a juvenile as well so plenty of time to grow it up and a long lifespan.


Nick L.

#4 Jconte

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  • Quincy Illinois

Posted 24 April 2016 - 08:24 AM

I second the motion for warmouth. Mine rush to the edge of the tank when I approach. And they hit freeze dried krill so hard that the often knock it out of the tank. Male warmouth are very handsome to boot.



#5 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 24 April 2016 - 09:37 AM

Sandwich approves.

warmouth sandwich.JPG

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

#6 gerald

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Posted 24 April 2016 - 11:20 AM

I would be comfortable with a 3' eel in a 150.

 

Maybe so, but would the eel be comfortable sharing the tank with YOU?

(maybe i misunderstood something here ...)


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#7 steve

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Posted 24 April 2016 - 09:17 PM

IF the eel WOULD be comfortable sharing a tank with me, I'm sure I could enjoy it for quite a while.

 

An eel isn't something that I had thought about, but it does sound interesting.  I'll have to do some more research.  It seems like I remember reading a rather lengthy thread a few years back about someone's experiences with an eel.  I'd have to make some small changes in the tank design and seal up some of the escape routes, but I could get it ready in no time.  I'm not going to get in a hurry so the eel idea will be spinning in my head along with other possibilities. 

 

I hadn't thought about a warmouth either, but it seems like it could be close to what I'm looking for.  I've had some other Lepomis sunnies before but no warmouths yet.  This could make for a good opportunity to try one.

 

I've also considered a red eye/coosa bass, but this would mean some travel though, as I think Kentucky is the closest I could catch one.

 

Just a couple days ago, I transferred a rock bass from a 30 gallon to the 150.  He's cute and fun, but he doesn't have quite the "look you in the eyes" type of personality that my SMB had.  I'll give the rock bass some more time in the 150 though while I prepare a 45 gallon for him.

 

Thank you all for the replies.  It has given me some ideas to think about that I hadn't yet considered.  These are two possibilities that I'm certainly keeping open, but I'm always open to any more ideas.  Thanks again.



#8 Betta132

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Posted 25 April 2016 - 01:28 AM

If temperature requirements are compatible, you might be able to keep the rock bass with the warmouth. There's certainly enough space for them both, and warmouths are pretty chill fish if they can't eat whatever they're with. Heck, you could probably have several warmouths. 



#9 loopsnj64

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Posted 29 April 2016 - 03:36 PM

The most personable fish I had was a common, large, male Pumpkinseed Sunfish, caught during breeding season (early summer)
you might not need to look far at all to find an "In your face" fish


"All good things must come to an end, but bad things think thats rather dull, so they stick around long after their natural end has come"

-From an art book I read


#10 keepnatives

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Posted 29 April 2016 - 08:09 PM

I agree and pumpkinseeds are beautiful fish.


Mike Lucas
Mohawk-Hudson Watershed
Schenectady NY

#11 wargreen

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Posted 01 May 2016 - 10:08 AM

Sorry for your loss, RIP Brownie.






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