10 replies to this topic

[Cu455]

My friend gave me his map turtle and I rearranged my tank so it has an appropriate environment. Right now I have 2 American eels and 3 white bull heads.

I was thinking of changing my tank to a stream type tank. I have a 1300 gph powerhead in it and it has high o2 levels due to it only being half full with a few HOB filters. The problem is my bullheads eat small fish. They are white bullheads. I have had them for a year and don't want them to get rid of them but will like some more diversity in the tank.

Should I get rid of the catfish and get smaller stream fish such as daraters, minnows and dice or keep the catfish and try some larger stream and stream like fish and keep the catfish?

What are good active fish that are good with my bullheads?


My tank is 265 gallons.

[littlen]

Map turtles are great.  I like the look of your tank with the turtle and bullheads.  He'd get along great with sunfish, but make sure they are not so small that the cats can eat them.

[JasonL]

That is a pretty sweet setup honestly. But there is no way smaller fish like darters, dace, or minnows would have any longevity with eels and bullheads lurking around from everything I've read. A bigger sunfish could probably tough it out but it would probably have to be good size and as such might not play well with other sunfish in that available space so you might be better off with just adding one big one imo.

If you get rid of the eels and cats you would have more options for diversity but that's more of a personal preference issue. I don't know how much of a threat map turtles are to small fish but even if he took one out occasionally you could probably keep a decent population of smaller fish intact if you are willing to replenish them periodically.

[smbass]

Pickerel comes to mind and some of the less territorial sunfish like warmouth, flier, maybe bantams. These species of sunfish tend to be ok in less density without beating the crap out of one another. I had a group of 4 warmouth when I was in high school in a 55 that were a lot of fun, they got along fine despite being only 4 fish in the tank compared to my usual recommendation of higher density to help keep the peace with sunfish spreading out the aggressive behavior over more fish.

[Cu455]

Thanks. I had a pickerel but it killed nearly everything in my tank, including some nice pumkinseeds I had. I went back to the same location to catch more of the pumpkinseeds but I caught nothing. I guess I will have to wait until next year. I love pickerel but I will have to wait until I get a larger tank to give my fish some more space.

The turtle is good with small fish. My friend bought it feeder minnows and it didn't touch them. The eels are also very good with small fish. I kept them in my saltwater feeder tank for over a year and didn't touch any mummichogs or silversides. It ate ghost shrimp.

There are no larger minnows or sucker fish? I was looking to add some movement to my tank. I was thinking some creek or large chub. The bullheads are about 7 inches.

[Cu455]

I was going to add a chiller and some trout. With the turtle I can't drop my water temp to low. I am looking for a trout substitute.

[JasonL]

Creek chubs might work in your scenario. They can get fairly large and could probably hold their own in your tank. In fact they will take a fly much like a trout if you find a school of them.

[Evan P]

Without the Bullheads you may be able to manage some larger Cyprinella or Luxilus, as well as Nocomis and Semotilus.

[smbass]

Yeah if you want active minnows Nocomis chubs or Semoltilus (Creek Chub or Fallfish) seem like the most likely options.

[itsme]

If you don't want your feeders eaten, avoid predatory minnows like Creek Chubs and Fallfish.  Large Nocomis Chubs might eat feeders too.  There are plenty of other minnows and suckers that won't eat your feeders.  Some of which get quite large.  The White Cats would likely have to be removed since they are nocturnal predators.  I'd try taking them out first and see what the Eels do to your feeders.  Personally, I don't trust Eels.  They are stealthy and toothy.  And how do you keep them in the tank?!  They are escape artists!  If the feeders survive with Eels and no White Cats, then start adding Minnows and Suckers.  There are lots of options in those categories.

[Cu455]

I am not really sure what you talking about not wanting the new fish to eat my feeders. I want to add fish that won't be feeders. The eels were in my saltwater feeder tank, which is no setup anymore.

The eels are cool but I only see them when I turn my lights on or a piece of tail hanging out of the rocks. I am thinking of moving the sand that is in between the rocks so the eels have a better hiding space. When they were in my saltwater tank I used light defuser as a cover with some weight (lighsts and rocks) on top. I did the same in my freshwater tank. Since the water level is lower not I don't really worry about them escaping.

Edited by Cu455, 01 December 2016 - 11:48 AM.