Jump to content


Pirate Perch (?? Spelling)


  • Please log in to reply
13 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_nativecajun_*

Guest_nativecajun_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 09:24 AM

What do they eat. Brought some very large ones home from Louisiana here to Tennessee. I need to know if they will scarf down my golden top minnows so I can seperate them if need be. The minnows seem a little thined down "possibly" but since I never counted them I don't know for sure. Do pirate perch eat minnows. Their mouths look as though they could fit them in easily enough.

#2 Guest_hmt321_*

Guest_hmt321_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 09:45 AM

they definatly eat minnows, in fact they ate several sail fin shiners in my 40 gal, the sailfins were every bit as large as the pirate perch

#3 Guest_nativecajun_*

Guest_nativecajun_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 12:03 PM

they definatly eat minnows, in fact they ate several sail fin shiners in my 40 gal, the sailfins were every bit as large as the pirate perch



Uh Oh !!

#4 Guest_drewish_*

Guest_drewish_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 12:40 PM

Unless well fed, pirate perch will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. We've lost a few fish to pirate perch before realizing this.

#5 Guest_hmt321_*

Guest_hmt321_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 01:35 PM

Unless well fed, pirate perch will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. We've lost a few fish to pirate perch before realizing this.


can you get them to eat floating or sinking pellets? mine would eat blood worms and brine shrimp. the pirate perch were eventually eaten by the red spot sunnie (i can't say that i was all that upset about it) the Red Spot later caused the sailfins to jump out of the tank (2 were MIA, i think he/she? ate them)

#6 Guest_nativecajun_*

Guest_nativecajun_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 03:54 PM

Probably not going to keep these guys. I really have no interest or much tank space to keep a fish I really do not like. I think they are unique and all but I can do without them. I took them out of my tank and placed them in the eithteen gallon rubbermaid kinda thingamobobby that I brought them home in.

#7 Guest_teleost_*

Guest_teleost_*
  • Guests

Posted 07 January 2007 - 06:00 PM

Pirate perch are one of my favorite aquarium fishes. They can be a little difficult to feed or no problem at all. I've had some fish eat pellets while others prefer frozen foods. I would advise you feed them shrimp pieces with tongs or a stick at first then you can try sinking pellets later. I've kept groups of three pirate perch in a 55 gallon tank along with many small fishes including gambusia. Since pirate perch tend to stay on the bottom the topminnows and similar fishes are usually fine with them. If well fed they stay away from medium size notropis. I've never had problems with compatibility, even with monster pirate perch and gambusia in the same tank. Wild fish can be a bit snappy at first but this snappy behavior goes away quickly.


If you don't want to keep them, I run a pirate perch shelter on the side :wink:

I can arrange for transport to myself or another forum member that wants them.

#8 Guest_ShinersRock_*

Guest_ShinersRock_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 01:08 AM

How big do they get?

#9 Guest_edbihary_*

Guest_edbihary_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 01:17 AM

How big do they get?

According to NatureServe, about 14 centimeters, or about 5.5 inches.

#10 Guest_ShinersRock_*

Guest_ShinersRock_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 01:24 AM

A 10g would work with him, right?

#11 Guest_dsmith73_*

Guest_dsmith73_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 07:25 AM

I have had pirate perch eat other fish and inverts while still in the collection bucket. I actually had to gut one once because it ate a mudpuppy that I had in the bucket that I needed to send off for DNA analysis. They don't have those huge mouths just for show, though their has long been talk of them using them for mouthbrooding.

#12 Guest_nativecajun_*

Guest_nativecajun_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 02:42 PM

The 5.5" must be about right. I must have a full grown one. Because if I had to guess by just looking at it I would say six inches. And whoever that is that runs the pirate perch shelter up there, I have a taker for them but I have two large and two small. I will check with him and what he does not want I may be able to send your way.

A 10g would work with him, right?


Ten gallon, one pirate perch, no problemo. While you are at it throw some shiners in just a little smaller than him and let me know the outcome. :D/

#13 Guest_teleost_*

Guest_teleost_*
  • Guests

Posted 08 January 2007 - 11:07 PM

I run the shelter :)

If you need a few breather bags and Amquel, let me know. I'll be happy to send a few your way. Please send them off to anyone that wants them first. I'll do my best to find a home as well since I just received a new group.

#14 Guest_nativecajun_*

Guest_nativecajun_*
  • Guests

Posted 09 January 2007 - 07:00 AM

Pirate perch are one of my favorite aquarium fishes. They can be a little difficult to feed or no problem at all. I've had some fish eat pellets while others prefer frozen foods. I would advise you feed them shrimp pieces with tongs or a stick at first then you can try sinking pellets later. I've kept groups of three pirate perch in a 55 gallon tank along with many small fishes including gambusia. Since pirate perch tend to stay on the bottom the topminnows and similar fishes are usually fine with them. If well fed they stay away from medium size notropis. I've never had problems with compatibility, even with monster pirate perch and gambusia in the same tank. Wild fish can be a bit snappy at first but this snappy behavior goes away quickly.
If you don't want to keep them, I run a pirate perch shelter on the side :wink:

I can arrange for transport to myself or another forum member that wants them.


I have another person that I have on the first list for some of these Pirates but you can have the ones he does not want when he decides if he wants the small ones or large ones.

Daniel




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users