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Redfin or Grass Pickerel?

Started by Guest_adw_* , Nov 14 2006 03:59 PM

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23 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_adw_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 03:59 PM

Hi everyone, I'm new!

I work at an outdoor education center. Recently, two of our students have caught these two fish from our stream. We believe they are redfins, but I'm not sure. They may be grass pickerels. I don't have a decent picture yet, but I may within the next few days.

One is about 5-6" long, the other is about 7-8" long. They've eaten all of the goldfish that we had in the tank (which we expected). At first, we had the smaller one, but the larger one was just added today. Is it safe to have the two of them together? The larger one has already 'had a fit' several times today. He's quite nasty! We've added a sucker/algae eater that's about 5" long. We're hoping he's safe.

We're thinking of moving the smaller one to the indoor pond with our turtles. Will that be safe to do?

Help!

#2 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:23 PM

Welcome to the forum!

It is safe to have them both together. It may just take a little bit for them to get acquainted and settled. If you can tell us your location, we may be able to identify them as either redfin or grass. Even better would be a profile pic.

#3 Guest_adw_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:44 PM

Thanks for the welcome! We are located in Maryland. They were caught in the stream on our property. In the 30+ years that our director has been here, he's never seen one from our stream!

We hope to take some pictures of them tomorrow, if I remember to take in my camera!

#4 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:46 PM

We are located in Maryland.

Redfin.

I suggest you add your location to your profile.

#5 Guest_adw_*

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Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:48 PM

Actually, here is a picture we took of the smaller one when we first got him. The picture is terrible as it was taken with a terrible camera phone and he was in a small fishbowl at the time. What do you all think?

Attached Images

#6 Guest_edbihary_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:50 PM

A beautiful fish! Those fins look pretty darn red to me. Grass pickerel should not exist in Maryland.

#7 Guest_teleost_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:51 PM

That picture is good enough to call it a redfin for sure.

Very nice colors on that fish.

#8 Guest_drewish_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 04:55 PM

If you need to get rid of it, let me know, I'll be more than happy to drive up and get it.

#9 Guest_adw_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 05:14 PM

Thanks everyone! We were leaning toward redfin, but I wanted to be 100% sure! The larger one that we just got today is not as colorful, but he's big! I hope to get pictures of him tomorrow.

We're not looking to get rid of either one. lol

#10 Guest_chad55_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2006 - 11:20 PM

Great looking redfins....getting sick of em yet? Just send em to me they are crap fish and you won't wanna deal with them anyways :lol:

. Hahaha Very nice fish. I love my grass and I am sure that either of them would be safe in a pond as long as you don't think the turts will eat them. How big are the turtles?

Chad

#11 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 01:41 AM

how big is the bigger one it is possible that you have a chain pickerel... They could be found in maryland but get much larger than grass or redfin and have no red. A picture would easily answer the question as chains look prety different. I have had all 3 types and young pike before.

#12 Guest_adw_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 02:59 PM

I took some pictures of them today. Now that I look at the photos, I'd say they're both redfins. However, I've noticed that the smaller one has been sitting at the bottom of the tank all day. He's not moving much at all. He did eat yesterday. I hope he's OK. :cry:

Attached Images

#13 Guest_smbass_*

Guests

Posted 15 November 2006 - 03:42 PM

yep they are both redfins.

#14 Guest_adw_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 03:49 PM

Any idea what could be wrong with the smaller one? We've had him for a couple of weeks, and he didn't start acting like this until today. Could he be intimidated by the larger redfin?

#15 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 03:53 PM

unfortunatelt I'm not very good at prognosis of illnesses. I doubt that it is intimidated by the larger one they are prety close to the same size and when I kept two in the same tank they prety much just ignored each other.

#16 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 04:12 PM

Mine will sit at the bottom of the tank periodically. How often are you feeding them?

#17 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 04:48 PM

Pickerel can be funny. I wouldn't worry about the behavior at this time. I've had fish go pale and act strange (go to the bottom) yet be quite healthy and live a long time without intervention.

#18 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 15 November 2006 - 06:04 PM

I keep pickerel, and I see this behavior quite often. The first time or two I got concerned, but now I am fairly certain that it is a very normal behavior. They are hardy fish.

#19 Guest_adw_*

Guests

Posted 15 November 2006 - 06:39 PM

Mine will sit at the bottom of the tank periodically. How often are you feeding them?

Well when we put the first one in the tank, he was joining 5 small goldfish. He ate one a day. Now we're feeding them every couple of days. Is that too much?

They are quite odd fish. I have two comet goldfish and a betta at home. I'm not used to these 'wild' fish. :lol:

#20 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guests

Posted 15 November 2006 - 06:57 PM

One a day is okay,IMO. But I think every third day, throwing them a couple feeders would also be fine. I would get them off of goldfish though. Goldfish are not ideal feed. If you need live, better to seine shiners, or minnows, or buy fatheads. Pickerel also relish crayfish.