breeding sunfishes

Anyone PRESENTLY breeding sunfishes (bluegill, pumpkinseed, green, longear, dollar) on a regular basis where they can get spawns pretty much like clockwork?

Anyone PRESENTLY breeding sunfishes (bluegill, pumpkinseed, green, longear, dollar) on a regular basis where they can get spawns pretty much like clockwork?

Well, it's not like clockwork but I found some sunfish fry in my lower garden pond this past weekend. Since they're only about 1/8" long I'm not sure what kind they are but it could be either blackbanded, orangespotted or longear sunfish that are in my garden ponds upstream.

yes, I have had this happen with Central Longears, Northern Longears, Green Sunfish, Blackbanded Sunfish, Western Dollar Sunfish, Redspotted Sunfish, Pumpkinseeds, and probably others I'm forgetting. It seems as long as the temperature is right and there is a relatively long photo period accompanied by plenty of food most sunfish are willing to spawn every 7-15 days. I have not done much documenting of this but lots of witnessing it. I am currently attempting or already breeding Redspotted, Bantam, Western Dollar, Green, Warmouth, Orangespotted, Blackbanded, and Bluespotted Sunfish in outdoor garden ponds but several of these were already spawning over the winter in tanks.

yes, I have had this happen with Central Longears, Northern Longears, Green Sunfish, Blackbanded Sunfish, Western Dollar Sunfish, Redspotted Sunfish, Pumpkinseeds, and probably others I'm forgetting. It seems as long as the temperature is right and there is a relatively long photo period accompanied by plenty of food most sunfish are willing to spawn every 7-15 days. I have not done much documenting of this but lots of witnessing it. I am currently attempting or already breeding Redspotted, Bantam, Western Dollar, Green, Warmouth, Orangespotted, Blackbanded, and Bluespotted Sunfish in outdoor garden ponds but several of these were already spawning over the winter in tanks.

Do ever keep the females and males separate except when trying to get a spawn?

I usually house them together although I have a tank of male fish that I didn't have mates for that are digging pits here tonight as I type. This tank has a male Eastern Dollar, Spotted Sunfish, Northern longear, Green Sunfish, and a unsexed flier.

I usually house them together although I have a tank of male fish that I didn't have mates for that are digging pits here tonight as I type. This tank has a male Eastern Dollar, Spotted Sunfish, Northern longear, Green Sunfish, and a unsexed flier.

I assume you tanks are not serviced by a common / central filtration system. Could you try the following? When you get a female sunfish spawning or ripe in another tank, transfer as quart or so of water from her tank to that of the males. Look for changes in digging rates by males.

Also, I think you are in the pumpkinseeds native range. Do the males turn black while on the nest?

I don't have any females in tanks at all right now, they are all out in my 11 rubber lined breeding ponds. I have a nice male redspotted already guarding eggs and a couple of bantams that seem to be guarding as well but thats it so far this year. I could easily take some water out of one of those pools and put it in the tank, what do you think of that?

As far as pumpkinseeds yes they are in my area and usually one of the first sunfish to spawn each year. As far as Black I'm not sure I would call them that but they definitely darken up and seem to be a dark green overall and their other colors intensify when spawning, well the males that is. There are a few pumpkinseeds and warmouth in my Bowfin/Pickerel pond and I actually was watching a nesting male pumpkinseed today.

I don't have any females in tanks at all right now, they are all out in my 11 rubber lined breeding ponds. I have a nice male redspotted already guarding eggs and a couple of bantams that seem to be guarding as well but thats it so far this year. I could easily take some water out of one of those pools and put it in the tank, what do you think of that?

As far as pumpkinseeds yes they are in my area and usually one of the first sunfish to spawn each year. As far as Black I'm not sure I would call them that but they definitely darken up and seem to be a dark green overall and their other colors intensify when spawning, well the males that is. There are a few pumpkinseeds and warmouth in my Bowfin/Pickerel pond and I actually was watching a nesting male pumpkinseed today.

Moving some water from a mixed sex tank into that into a male only tank should work.


The reason I ask about black pumpkinseeds is that when I crossed redear with pumpkinseed, the hybrid when its nesting, gets much blacker than even the pure redear. I have only seen pumpkinseed breed in tanks and they do darken a bit but not blacken. Generally, males in my tanks do not colorup with as much melanin as the same animals do in a pond setting so I did feel I have a good comparison to make.

what is the mating seasonfor orange spots because I have heard some varying awnsers and I want to make sure the change in behavior of my sunnies is from breeding, not a sickness.

what is the mating seasonfor orange spots because I have heard some varying awnsers and I want to make sure the change in behavior of my sunnies is from breeding, not a sickness.

breeding season for orange spots late spring through late summer

what is the behavior?

The times match up exactly.

The behavior is the male is constantly guarding an area or hiding in that area, and I can't tell if a nest is in the pot or not because of the design of the aquarium decor. If I picked it up it would broabaly distroy the nest. And my two females have become more reclusive too.

The times match up exactly.

The behavior is the male is constantly guarding an area or hiding in that area, and I can't tell if a nest is in the pot or not because of the design of the aquarium decor. If I picked it up it would broabaly distroy the nest. And my two females have become more reclusive too.

Inspect the area that you think he is defending. Look for a shallow depression or exposed round substrate particles. Take a turkey bastor and suck up some of the bottom and place into a shallow white container. You may find pro-larvae.

Inspect the area that you think he is defending. Look for a shallow depression or exposed round substrate particles. Take a turkey bastor and suck up some of the bottom and place into a shallow white container. You may find pro-larvae.

Thats the thing, the design of the hide makes it so I can not see the substrate.

Thats the thing, the design of the hide makes it so I can not see the substrate.

If he is defending the area then even when food is not in the area then he is likely defending a brood. Offspring will still be on the bottom amongst whatever particles are present. I have seen some sunfishes nest in cavities (especially crappies) when filamentous algae abounds.