Bazillions of Bluespotted sunfish
#1 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 07 November 2009 - 08:54 PM
Somehow, I've went from the four bought last August to about a bazillion of 'em!
And, to think that I thought that I'd lost them over last winter!
I've been too busy to check on them this year and have barely even kept the water topped up.
I did notice a few young ones over the summer, but I've been running a net through the weeds over the last few days.
Even though I hardly put a dent in the population, I must have caught a hundred or so of 'em
I guess that you have to be careful what you wish for!
I haven't been hangin' around here much(that busy stuff that I mentioned), but I've found a little more time recently.
So, I'm kinda back and trying to catch up on things here.
I tossed a netfull of 'em in a grubby spare tank and took a few quick photos.
IMG_0042_1 b.jpg 34.91KB 21 downloads
IMG_0037_1 b.jpg 17.68KB 7 downloads
I caught an adult, as well, but tossed it back into the original 500 gal stock tank.
Most of these little ones, I put into a fully established 100 gal stock tank.
It's in the house and I'll try to follow their progress as they mature.
I'm thinking very seriously about stocking one of my ponds with some of them.
Although the best one, now has some trout living in it.
They showed up this summer when I was filling it with water from my irrigation ditch,
It's kinda cool, but I really didn't want that spring fed pond to be contaminated.
A little late for me to worry about it now, but still...
I'm not really into shipping anything, just yet.
But, if anyone lives in SW Oregon, has room and wants to come get some...?
Scott
#2 Guest_natureman187_*
Posted 07 November 2009 - 09:12 PM
#3 Guest_panfisherteen_*
Posted 07 November 2009 - 10:00 PM
#4 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 08 November 2009 - 05:09 PM
I never did find out what happened to my missing minnows that went in at the same time.
The sunnies must've fattened up for last winter with 'em.
I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to feed all these little monsters. The large trough has been fully established for a longtime and generated enough food, but with so many inside now...
I'll likely have to go out and sweep a net through a couple of ponds and see what I come up with. It's been a while since I've had to worry about picky eaters. I will probably see if I can bump up the tubificid population and other criters in there.
Scott
#5 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 08 November 2009 - 08:34 PM
I stopped off at one of my ponds, this afternoon, and swept a net through some of the weeds.
Got a lot of daphnea, cyclops and other goodies for them.
I picked out the things that wouldn't be happy at the bottom of the foodchain and tried to keep just the goodies.
The little monsters are chowing like crazy.
Normally, this time of year, these are tough to come by. But, three of the ponds have been really dug out over the last year, or so.
They're normally dry, but the extra 15 to 20 foot depth has enabled them to be year-round producers and the plantlife has come back full swing over the summer.
Now, if I can just keep up with their stomachs!
Scott
#6 Guest_FirstChAoS_*
Posted 08 November 2009 - 10:08 PM
If their that prolific you can have a fish farm going in no time.
Their are a few fish i'd love to see farmed for nanfa members. mud sunfish, shadow or roanoke bass, crappie, longnose dace, hogsucker, chubsucker, etc.
Edited by FirstChAoS, 08 November 2009 - 10:09 PM.
#7 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 08 November 2009 - 10:48 PM
I think that I just ended up with an unknown subspecies!
E. gloriosus ssp.viagras!
"are you farming them?"
I want to say no, but...uh, apparently I am.
They didn't bother to tell me, ask, or anything.
I've always been very successful with the beniegn neglect thing!
I set things up the very best that I can and leave them the heck alone.
Translation: I get busy and forget that I even have 'em!
Scott
#8 Guest_critterguy_*
Posted 11 November 2009 - 05:33 AM
Edited by critterguy, 11 November 2009 - 05:35 AM.
#9 Guest_catfish_hunter_*
Posted 11 November 2009 - 05:27 PM
#10 Guest_critterguy_*
Posted 11 November 2009 - 09:46 PM
But once they get to the size where they can hunt BBs, Daphnia, blackworms etc. raising them is straightforward. The only problem I had was aggression(big ones sometimes picked on the little ones). But with them crowded like that I doubt that will be an issue.
These guys are seriously some of the toughest fish I have raised...they sure don't look it but I've pulled them out of nearly black muck the next day after draining a pond and they survive when placed into clean water. Lots of aquarium books suggest they die if you look at them the wrong way.
Edited by critterguy, 11 November 2009 - 09:48 PM.
#11 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 11 November 2009 - 10:33 PM
I might have to get a few more large troughs or, perhaps, dump a portion of them into one of my cowponds. The one that I'd really like to use ended up with trout getting washed in over the summer. The irrigation ditch was channeled into it at one point and I ended up with fish.
Decisions...decisions...!
I thought that they'd be more fragile than they are.
They're really tough little guys.
I kept hearing the same said about Black bandeds, but mine were very easy keepers.
Having to provide live food all the time was a pain, but they were worth it.
They lived for years and did nest several times, but I never got any fry. They were kept inside and the other fish likely didn't help either.
I really need to replace them sometime. I'll probably try the same thing and get another large, established trough going to up the population. I, actually, like them more than the Bluespots.
Scott
#12 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 16 November 2009 - 12:32 AM
#13 Guest_BTDarters_*
Posted 16 November 2009 - 02:33 AM
I'd like to congratulate you as well on your successful spawn/spawns. That's a great accomplishment! I'd also like to reiterate what Brian said about not stocking fish in ponds that could possibly allow them to escape into the natural environment. Invasive species are a big problem in this country, and any species can be invasive. When a species enters an environment where it is not naturally found, it may out-compete native species for food, spawning habitat, and other resources. And because the species was not originally found in that environment, natural limiting factors like disease and natural predators may not be found there. This can cause the invasive species' population to explode. You can see how well your fish did in an artificial pond with no predators! I'm saying this not to chastise you, but to educate you. Fish keepers, as well as others in the pet industry, are coming under increased scrutiny these days. We all have to watch each other's back! So keep up the good work breeding the fish, and please see that they don't get into your waterways!
Brian
#14 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 17 November 2009 - 10:42 PM
They're still chowing like little monsters. I've been stopping off and netting food, daily, on my way in from out back. As I see them of all different sizes, there doesn't seem to be as much issue with cannabalism as I worried about. They seem to all be, more or less, getting along and even schooling a bit.
Some of the larger ones are defending areas, but otherwise all is well.
I'm as paranoid as most of the rest of you about invasive species and have always been beyond catious about anything getting loose. I've seen, not only the issues involve Stateside, but, been many places around the world where the natives have been devastated!
Again, I intend to be very carefull, but...
Considering the amount of sanctioned game fish introductions over the years, it'll take a lot to convince me that these little guys could ever impact anything around here. The non native bass, crappie, various sunfish, etc, etc and etc would wipe 'em out before they could crap, let alone spawn!
The trout entered through the top of the irrigation ditch after I rerouted it this summer. A not very friendly neighbor tampered with the gate and ran half the creek down our ditch. I've since changed it back to normal and he's been warned, by the Watermaster about the fines involved if it happens again.
If I do decide to naturalize them into somewhere, I'll have to dig out something else and be very aware of any run off. I do have other ponds that don't really run anywhere, but I had prefered this ones location. Or, I could always dig out an area on higher ground and just use a liner or something...
But, as that's for the future, I'll likely just get a few more large troughs to expand things. The cows might just have to get used to sharing a few of theirs, as well.
Scott
#15 Guest_scott361_*
Posted 18 November 2009 - 10:03 PM
I just happened to stop by the breeding tank, a moment ago, and found one of the adult males floating.
This is the first I've seen of them since they went in, other than the female that I ended up netting the other day.
Not sure what's up, but I have an idea or two.
Even though there should be enough surface area and plant life, the oxygen levels might have dropped.
I've been scooping out a lot of fallen leaves, but still have a ways to go.
The massive infusion of decaying leaves could've dropped the saturated oxygen or, at least, changed the water chemisty.
It's been building up ice also, over night, and that could be an issue with a larger population of them this year.
Although most of the new guys are still very small(an optimistic 1.5 inches at the largest), I'm concerned that it's a factor.
The male had doubled in size and was gorgeous, but I would think that he still had a year, or two, to go.
I don't actually remember what sort of lifespan they have and haven't looked it up yet.
But, anyway, that's the way things go!
I guess...
At least they've been prolific!
Scott
#16 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 19 November 2009 - 08:01 AM
You could probably feed those little guys some frozen blood worms if your tired of catching food for them every day.
#17 Guest_Elijah_*
Posted 02 December 2009 - 11:20 PM
If you ever feel motivated to share the wealth, I am looking to get some of these guys and would be happy to trade some red bellied dace or some other fish or plants? -Or pay the shipping. I do live in VT so it would not be a pick up situation.
BTW how does one empty leaves and such out of a container pond without taking the fish out? I ask because tomorrow I am digging a pond.
Thanks!
Edited by Elijah, 02 December 2009 - 11:34 PM.
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