Please don't hate me...

Thanks for bringing this up! Is there any way to identify bluegill from sunfish when they are small? Whats the best way to identify when they are larger?

The guy is about 2" right now.

He still will not eat, but I'm not giving up.

If I put him in a 29 gallon in a couple months.....what tank mates, if any can he have? Some crustaceans maybe?

If it won't eat yet, see if any of your local fish stores carry live blackworms. I've yet to see anything that can resist one of those sitting in front of them, wriggling around on the bottom!

Thanks for the pics!

Are there any common diseases that sunfish can get that I should be aware of?

It's hard to research native american fish online, so many tropical fish sites out there, but almost no coldwater ones. I'm glad I found this forum, you've all been very helpful!

Also, I have relised that the tank is actually 2.5 gallons, not 4. Is this a big problem?

10 gallon tanks are available from pretty much any aquarium store (or discount store with a pet section) for around $10. My favorite filter for small tanks is a very simple home-made affair using just a bubbler air lift and a cup full of gravel. I'll try to take a picture of how I make them and post tomorrow. Add some gravel from an existing tank to seed the bacteria, and you should be all good. I've been using one of these filters in a tank filled with 30+ gambusia which I feed pretty heavily for months with no problems.

I've never really "cycled" my tanks, and I've never had any problems. With sufficient dilution (larger tank) and light feeding, you should be fine. Also, I strongly second the suggestion on blackworms as a sure-thing food. A "portion" from a LFS that stocks them should only cost a couple bucks, will give him plenty of food for a week or more, and can easily be maintained for days/weeks with just a bit of effort.

Bigger pumpkinseeds I've kept really love mealworms. Smaller ones (probably bluegill, actually), have adapted to flakes pretty well, but didn't grow nearly as well as I think they would have on live foods.

Have fun with it! -Jase

My favorite filter for small tanks is a very simple home-made affair using just a bubbler air lift and a cup full of gravel. I'll try to take a picture of how I make them and post tomorrow. Add some gravel from an existing tank to seed the bacteria, and you should be all good.

I posted a photo/description of that simple filter at
http://forum.nanfa.o...h...ost&p=33066

-Jase

Well, I'm back again!!!

More questions!

Well, I have since moved the sunfish into a 29 gallon, and I added some corydora catfish (coldwater, although not native).

I have since gotten him on pellets, but I would like to know...what pellets should I be feeding him? Cichlid pellets? Anybody have a link?

Also, could I add another sunfish as a tank mate? Do they prefer to be in schools?

And...I am not exactly sure what kind of sunfish it is, if I have a pic could somebody ID it?

Thanks for all the help!

A picture would be good. Tankmates will depend on the ID, you cannot get too many larger ones into a 29 gallon. Generally, sunfish are OK solo. Cichlid pellets are fine, add an occasional worm for variety.

Corydoras are small South American tropical catfish, although they may do OK in a room temperature tank.

A picture would be good. Tankmates will depend on the ID, you cannot get too many larger ones into a 29 gallon. Generally, sunfish are OK solo. Cichlid pellets are fine, add an occasional worm for variety.

Corydoras are small South American tropical catfish, although they may do OK in a room temperature tank.

Yes, corydoras are from midly tropical locations, however the areas they live often dry up into very small vodies of water, and these small bodies of water change change in temperature very quickly, and as a result of this cordoras can be kept as low as 60, and even breed in temperatures around 65, yep, they should do fine in 70 temps.

Also, how territoral are pumpkinseeds?

Also, how territoral are pumpkinseeds?

They can be *quite* territorial. In my experience, it can just depend on the individual to some extent. I wouldn't plan on keeping a happy "school" of them -- try yellow perch if you want a neat gamefish that does school (if that's allowed where you are).
http://www.google.co...forum.nanfa.org

Thanks!

Also, I noticed my pumpkinseed...at least I'm pretty sure that's what he is, has these small black dots around the lower jaw and at the base of the tail. Is this just a color pattern or a disease? I can get a pic up if needed, but I doubt it will be clear enough to tell anything.

Thanks!

Also, I noticed my pumpkinseed...at least I'm pretty sure that's what he is, has these small black dots around the lower jaw and at the base of the tail. Is this just a color pattern or a disease? I can get a pic up if needed, but I doubt it will be clear enough to tell anything.

This is the dreaded black spot disease. I am very sorry.

This is the dreaded black spot disease. I am very sorry.

Irate is teasing you, but this really is commonly known as "black spot". It's probably this parasite:
http://www.michigan....27376--,00.html
Very common in gamefish, but doesn't do any real harm -- just a little gross. It'll probably go away after a year or two.