Jump to content


Pickerel And Cannibalism


5 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_fishlvr_*

Guest_fishlvr_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 November 2007 - 03:41 PM

Are grass/redfin pickerel known to be cannibalistic? I have seen their larger counter parts do so, and wanted to be sure so that I didn't unknowingly mix sizes or get some and one grow faster and eat its brethren.

#2 Guest_tglassburner_*

Guest_tglassburner_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 November 2007 - 03:57 PM

Are grass/redfin pickerel known to be cannibalistic? I have seen their larger counter parts do so, and wanted to be sure so that I didn't unknowingly mix sizes or get some and one grow faster and eat its brethren.

Every thing Ive read / observed points to yes, although if they are the same size and food is plentiful, they seem to do fine in a trio.

#3 Guest_rockbassbud5_*

Guest_rockbassbud5_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 November 2007 - 03:59 PM

I can see how especially when they are little and growing so fast. I've had no problem with aggression between my two youngsters but they have killed/injured fish that are bigger than them. I also had to separate them due to one gaining size over the other quickly. When they were separated i concentrated on feeding the smaller one much much more and they were about even again within a few weeks. I do this just to keep them evenly matched. I have heard about a lot of people having problems with cannibalism though.

#4 Guest_fishlvr_*

Guest_fishlvr_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 November 2007 - 04:18 PM

I can see how especially when they are little and growing so fast. I've had no problem with aggression between my two youngsters but they have killed/injured fish that are bigger than them. I also had to separate them due to one gaining size over the other quickly. When they were separated i concentrated on feeding the smaller one much much more and they were about even again within a few weeks. I do this just to keep them evenly matched. I have heard about a lot of people having problems with cannibalism though.


Well, I guess I'll just have to keep them in a ten gallon and move the bigger ones as they grow. Thanks.

#5 Guest_dmarkley_*

Guest_dmarkley_*
  • Guests

Posted 02 November 2007 - 09:13 AM

You bet they are cannibals! I obtained 8 of them in June from a member in NC. Got home and divided them with a friend. He took a pair of 5 inchers and a pair of 2 inchers. I took a pair of 5 inchers and a pair of 3 inchers. After 2 weeks, he had the larger pair and I had the larger pair. They can eat a fish bigger than you'd think.

Now having said that, these are great fish to keep. Easy to take care of, rather undemanding. Mine are now about 6-7 inches and holding. They share a 110 gal tank with 3 pumpkinseeds (at 3-4 inches, these are apparently too tall to eat), a 6 inch common shiner (he schools with the pickerel!) and a 7 inch plecostomus. Why the plecostomus? Well, its armored, eats algae and in some ways can now be considered a native!

#6 Guest_sumthinsfishy_*

Guest_sumthinsfishy_*
  • Guests

Posted 02 November 2007 - 02:14 PM

I have heard many times of them being cannibalistic. They can be kept together, but one probably will become dominant and get more food, resulting in growing faster, which then will lead to the bigger one eating the smaller.
They also seem to be very aggressive, seeing as how I know a person who had one kill his crappie, a bunch of minnows, and almost a few other rare fish.



Reply to this topic



  


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users