9 replies to this topic

[Joshaeus]

Hello all! I currently have a pair of E. evergladei in a 2 gallon bowl with a heap of java moss, awaiting transfer within a few weeks to a heavily planted 5 gallon. Unfortunately...before that, I had them in a floor level storage bin to test whether a completely non-electrified tank was possible. It was, but it didn't help the fish's already shy nature. The female has relatively little fear of me, but I virtually never see the male...will they be less shy in the 5 gallon? Anything I can do to make them less nervous? They are currently being fed BBS, microworms, and any juvenile snails that may be found in the tank.

[Michael Wolfe]

A glass tank where the can see you coming from the side (not from above like a heron) will help them associated you with food. I think Elassoma learn to come to the front for food like almost all other fish. Just give them some time where they can get used to seeing you.

[Joshaeus]

OK! Thankx. By the way...I was considering getting a 1 gallon HOB refugium for this tank to cultivate some sort of live food option in. Any suggestions for something I could culture in it? Blackworms maybe?

[lilyea]

...will they be less shy in the 5 gallon? Anything I can do to make them less nervous? ...

 

My Elassoma (including the males) are far, far more bold when their primary diet is live food (especially black worms).

[Michael Wolfe]

That's interesting.  I remember a past Elassoma keeper saying that when the fish had plenty of in-tank food (blackworms) that they became more fearful of people.  But when they were seen as the source of food, that the fish were much more likely to come to the front of the tank.

 

My personal experience is that they actively came to the front of the tank and even fought for position.

[gerald]

I've had a colony going for 16 years (E. gilberti) and they are no more sociable now than they were 10 generations ago.  At best they tolerate very slow-moving humans, but they'll never be happy to see you in the way that "real" sunfishes are.  I agree that having the tank at eye level rather than knee-level helps a little, and feeding small amounts at a time so they learn to associate you with food (rather than a constant supply of blackworms), but they do seem hard-wired to be forever shy, flighty fish (and also hard-wired to not eat dry foods).

[lilyea]

That's interesting.  I remember a past Elassoma keeper saying that when the fish had plenty of in-tank food (blackworms) that they became more fearful of people.  But when they were seen as the source of food, that the fish were much more likely to come to the front of the tank....

 

Michael - I agree and was likely not as clear as I could have been.  When I approach the tank (currently a 5 gallon at waist level) I am feeding a limited amount of black worms.  It appears that they associate my presence with feeding and if I have feed them their preferred food lately they will continue to come to the front of the tank.  This behavior continues for a few days or more even after I temporarily stop feeding them their preferred food and then it picks up again when I return to their preferred diet.  From my experience I also believe that the aquascaping is important for this fish - specifically having an open space in the center and front of the tank and then dense plant (e.g., java moss/christmas moss) in the back and sides.  Sociable is relative in this case - I wouldn't put them in the "life of the party" category, but maybe "shy but friendly when you get to know them"?  I have been fascinated with the delicate interaction that this fish provides.

[Joshaeus]

Thankx for all the help thus far. My pair has become less nervous in the bowl (which, while still not quite eye level, is no longer on the floor), but the male is showing no signs of breeding colors. Any idea what's up? The entire bowl is 75% stuffed with java moss, has no substrate, gets 50% WC's, is fed BBS and microworms (both of which the elassoma eat, by the way) and the only tank mates are four zebra danio fry (no larger than they are) and some snails. I wouldn't have mixed them, but...I accidentally moved the male to this bowl during a water change and decided to move the female there also to make them more visible.

 

EDIT: I just discovered, on closer examination, that my 'evergladei' are probably zonatum...the male has distinct vertical brown and tan bars and little iridescence. I'm going to hope the female is also zonatum, but still...guess I'll never see a huge amount of color out of this male. Unusual goof for sachs...

Edited by Joshaeus, 15 December 2016 - 08:53 AM.

[Joshaeus]

WAIT A MINUTE! Sorry...they're evergladei. I definitely have seen the green spangles and grey on this male...I was just desperate for a reason he isn't the beautiful fish I thought evergladei was.

[gerald]

Black sand or paint on the bottom and back/sides may help, along with time/maturity.  My E. gilberti males generally stay dark more as they get older.  Young males are gray much of the time.  Some evergladei do have a slight barred pattern, but less distinct than zonatum.   NC evergladei are usually just speckled; no obvious bars.  There are many local variations over their range.  The ones in AL are some the most colorful.