crappie as a tankmate

I'm still pretty new to the native scene, and need some advice. I've got a 55 gal that's app. 4'x1'x21". Its got a longear that's about 6.5 inches thats been in the tank for a while and a warmouth (about the same size) that I put in today. The longear and the warmouth seem to be getting along quite well. I was wanting to put maybe a crappie or a redear in the tank with them. I was wondering if either of these would be overly aggressive or become too large for the tank. Also, any other suggestions for the tank are welcome. I live in southern Indiana, and would like to have only one of each type of fish in the tank to add variety. Thanks!

both redear and crappie get a bit to large 15" for the red ear and 20" for the crappie I would get another longear or even a green sunnie before I would get a red ear or a crappie but if you do get one of the species I would get a crappie much less agressive

Rob

First of all, you don't need to give us the dimensions of a 55 gallon tank, it's a standard tank size, but the intentions are appreciated. Secondly, I seriously doubt that a black crappie will grow anywhere near 15 inches in an aquarium. I've never seen one (so far) more than about 5 inches in the wild, although I'm sure they can get bigger. I've had one since last December, it was about 3 inches, now it's about 5 inches. I think (and hope) it's about done growing. It refused to eat for about four or five weeks, and I was growing concerned. But after watching the longears and pumpkinseeds eat all that time, and getting hungry enough, it decided to eat. Now it's got quite a healthy appetite. It's a beautiful fish. I recommend it.

The maximum sizes listed in Peterson's Field Guide, NatureServe, etc. seem to be WAY too big for the typical fish. We've had that conversation here before. I think it's extremely rare for a fish to get that big. Some may tell you they've seen one that big, but most who have kept them will probably tell you that they typically don't get anywhere near that big.

My crappie is totally peaceful, by the way. It doesn't bother anybody, and nobody bothers it.

I've never seen one (so far) more than about 5 inches in the wild, although I'm sure they can get bigger.

My crappie is totally peaceful, by the way. It doesn't bother anybody, and nobody bothers it.

They definitely do get quite large. I've seined out a couple from the Maumee River that have been over 13" long. They are one of the most peaceful fish I've encountered when talking about large native fish/game fish. From my experience they don't do well with overly aggressive feeders. They hunt slowly and sometimes don't get any shiners when food is placed in the tank. Finicky feeders too. I've never got them on anything besides live earthworms and shiners. I've heard people have been able to feed them pellets of some type, but there's no fun in that either. Longear Sunfish and Warmouth Sunfish at the size you have them might become territorial around the Crappies and Crappies seldom defend themselves. I'd go with a more aggressive Sunfish as a tank mate.

I have to say that tank size and fish are directly proportional. When I put some of the smaller fish in 55 gallon tanks (like bluespotted sunfish and pirate perch) they grow much larger than I've ever seen in the wild. I also happened to see bluegill and redear sunfish well over the 12" size in a state run display aquarium just yesterday. If you give certain fish the room they want/need, they'll grow every bit as big as the books say.

There is no question that black crappie will grow to that size - during the spring spawning run you can see coolers full of fish that size. In an aquarium? Yeah, If you can keep it long enough.

I appreciate everyone's helpful comments. I've been thinking about it and have decided that it would be cool to have a tank full of different types of fish in the genus lepomis, as I already have lepomis megalotis and lepomis gulosis (though apparently there is some debate as to the actual genus of gulosis). Are most members of this genus of a similar temperament or are some not suited for my tank? Do bluegills tend to be bullies?

Individuals of all Lepomis species can be aggressive, although there are tendencies between species. Pumpkinseeds are likely to be aggressive in my experience, while bluegills are less so. I would say that megalotis and gulosus are at the aggressive end of the scale. Orangespots don't get too big and are usually well-behaved.

And don't believe the hype, gulosus is a perfectly good Lepomis species.