Orange Spotted Sunfish

how soon will you be trying this?

Next month or so while we have tank space and extra brine shrimp.

Bentonite - that's Mississippi's #1 geological resource. It used to be gravel, but now it's clay!

We even have a city named Bentonia.

I think people here in indiana who are building ponds use that stuff for a bottom due to the high sand content in the natural soil, helps the pond hold water does this sound right??

I think people here in indiana who are building ponds use that stuff for a bottom due to the high sand content in the natural soil, helps the pond hold water does this sound right??

Bentonite has many uses but with aquaculture it is most frequently used to decrease porosity of the pond bottom and levees. High sand soils and other types lacking adequate clay are most frequwently ammended with bentonite. In simpliest terms a stop-leak measure. Cheaper than pond liners also.

Since we are discussing this clay has anyone ever purchased or used it themselves? I have a pond (well what I intended to be a pond, looks more like a crater) in my back yard that won't hold water. I'd apreciate any pointers or places to get this stuff.

Since we are discussing this clay has anyone ever purchased or used it themselves? I have a pond (well what I intended to be a pond, looks more like a crater) in my back yard that won't hold water. I'd apreciate any pointers or places to get this stuff.

Just push the irate morman call button, see his post above

Since we are discussing this clay has anyone ever purchased or used it themselves? I have a pond (well what I intended to be a pond, looks more like a crater) in my back yard that won't hold water. I'd apreciate any pointers or places to get this stuff.

Your agriculture supply stores should have bentonite clay in 50 pound bags. Spread the bentonite to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch over previously worked soil to be remediated for holding water. We usually disk it in but aggressive use of a shovel and rake will get it mixed into the top 6 inches of soil. If you soil has a very high sand content then more bentonite will be needed. Otherwise a very small amount of bentonite goes a long way. And wear a mask to avoid inhaling.

thanks... our soil has some clay in it to begin with but for some reason it just won't quite hold water and my wife keeps making comments about the crater...

thanks... our soil has some clay in it to begin with but for some reason it just won't quite hold water and my wife keeps making comments about the crater...

Not all clays are the same. Takes more kaolonite than bentonite to achieve a seal. Also check for roots and crayfish burrows to make certain they are sealed off as well.

Apparently this one seems to be forgotten:

orangespotted spawning in aquarium

Apparently this one seems to be forgotten:

orangespotted spawning in aquarium

Spawning is not the problem. Rearing the fry is difficult if not inconsistant. No one reports rearing them easily or with regularity in contrast with most other sunfishes.

Spawning is not the problem. Rearing the fry is difficult if not inconsistant. No one reports rearing them easily or with regularity in contrast with most other sunfishes.

Exactly my experience. I have had no trouble getting them to spawn, I saw spawning and nests with eggs for the last three years but just almost 0 recruitment. I got 2 or 3 young the very first year.

Forest Lake Pets in MN is selling a bunch of OSS for $8.99 I think. They look quite nice! They are close to 2 inches with nice orange spots on them. Not sure if they are wild caught or not.

Forest Lake Pets in MN is selling a bunch of OSS for $8.99 I think. They look quite nice! They are close to 2 inches with nice orange spots on them. Not sure if they are wild caught or not.

Wont ship, wont accept anything but in store payments. Nice try Not much help when you live in indiana. BUT...That was a nice try and i appreciate the info. Lets see, how far from Indiana to that place (NOT!!!) This guy has a tank full, but wont deal. AAAAGGGGHHHH !!! Oh Well

Edited by jimv8673, 24 November 2008 - 04:43 PM.

It may be worth the trip to pick some of those guys up! or...

Maybe some nice NANFA member living in MN would buy some and ship them to us for a fee?

Don

It may be worth the trip to pick some of those guys up! or...

Maybe some nice NANFA member living in MN would buy some and ship them to us for a fee?

Don

Well for me it would be a long trip and cost LOTS more than the fish, Probably like you said, some nice person will read this and make an offer to do that

Well it seems that more than a few folks here (including myself) are interested in the orange-spotted sunfish (lepomis humilis). It's easy to see why! They're very colorful, small, and apparently pretty hardy. These, among other factors, make them ideal candiates for keeping in the aquarium. So, from an aquariists -(is that a real word?) standpoint this is what we're looking for.

I personally haven't had the priviledge of keeping them - yet. But I'm thinking seriously about giving them a try as soon as I can find a body of water which they inhabit. I know I live within their range but I don't recall ever hooking one on any of my fishing trips. That doesn't mean they weren't right under my nose either. Iv'e never made a point of going out to find them specifically. I'd say it would be just a matter of time to find them if I'm looking in the right spots enough.
Can anyone please provide some pointers on what types of bodies of water to search for them in? It would also be helpful to suggest what types of water to NOT look for them in so as to avoid wasting time in my efforts. Also any specific collecting methods you might be able to share would be greatly appreciated. The more specifics the better.

If I'm able to find enough of these little guys I might be able to express my thanks to some of you by providing some live specimens- if there's any interest- and if it's practical to get them to you.

For maintaining them in captivity I have a couple of small outdoor ponds that I can use for holding them. One of the "ponds" is one of those large blue (poly?) stock watering tanks. Completely full it's about 900 gallons. The other "pond" is actually an old plastic bathtub . A little funny I guess but it works great. I haven't calculated the volume on that one but I'd guess it holds about 130 gallons. They're both set down in the ground with about 1/4 of them still above ground.

I also have a number of aquariums available to work with as well. The glass tank sizes I have are 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 55 gallons with multiple tanks in the 10 gal size. Not that all of these will be neccassary to raise a few orange-spotties, just offering what I have to work with FYI.

Now, before I finish, I would like to ask centrarchid in particular (and anyone else who might have some suggestions please!) if you have any tips to offer that might be helpful when trying to produce healthy growth and survival rates in the L. humilis fry (or any tactics and methods you've used with success in relation to sunfish reproduction & rearing). From what I've read on here so far, getting the fry to feed & grow may be the most important obstacle to overcome in producing viable offspring on a regular basis.

I suppose the last 7 words of that last sentence would be my primary goal in taking on a project like this. Secondary goals would include, but not be limited to, attempts to produce the most attractive and hardy aquarium specimens that produce the easiest to rear fry. How's that sound?

All tips, suggestions, advice, direction, and cold beers are much appreciated !

Thanks!

Allow me to be the first to say... where are you? And the short answer is orange-spots are found in slow-moving rivers or largeish creeks, for the most part.

Allow me to be the first to say... where are you? And the short answer is orange-spots are found in slow-moving rivers or largeish creeks, for the most part.

Yes, I did leave out that important detail didn't I? OOPS! I'm in western KY in Murray.
I actually live a few miles south of Murray, about a mile north of the Tennessee line.

I'm pleasently suprised that I'm getting responses on this so quickly. That's great!

I imagine we're all doing about the same thing while it's cold this time of year - that is being indoors and wishing it was warmer weather outside. I know I've been dreaming of warmer weather when I can get out there and do some sort of water related activity. I won't let the cold stop me from going out to look for some orange spots though. Unless the cold greatly diminishes my chances of finding them.

Should I have any concerns about capturing sunfish and bringing them indoors this time of year?

It's better this year, at least in the mid-South. As long as you have insulated waders you should be OK... If you collect fish and bring them inside in cold water let them sit for several hours to slowly warm up before doing anything with them. In my experience it's easier to acclimate fish to aquaria this time of year than it is in summer. We brought home a bunch of live fish from the upper Paint Rock River in NE Alabama last Friday and all have survived, including redline and blueside darters and tennessee shiners.

It's better this year, at least in the mid-South. As long as you have insulated waders you should be OK... If you collect fish and bring them inside in cold water let them sit for several hours to slowly warm up before doing anything with them. In my experience it's easier to acclimate fish to aquaria this time of year than it is in summer. We brought home a bunch of live fish from the upper Paint Rock River in NE Alabama last Friday and all have survived, including redline and blueside darters and tennessee shiners.

Thanks for the insight on acclimating the fish this time of year.

Well, I don't own a pare of waders at all. So for me it would be a pair of boots, some wool socks, and some really cold fingers with a side of blue lips! I could make it work though if I really get motivated .

We have the Clark's River out here. It has alot of slow moving areas in it. I'll have to get back out there to check it out.

Here's another question on something I've been wondering about. Does anyone know if a fishing liscense is required in KY if you're seigning or dip netting for bait? Geuss I could grab a fishing reg booklet next time I'm in Wally-World.