Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Sunfish ID please?

Started by Guest_SunnyRollins_* , Nov 12 2009 03:36 PM

Please log in to reply

17 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 03:36 PM

I've spent about a month trying to figure this guy out and am still not 100% certain. He was found in Southeast Pennsylvania in Neshaminy Creek, which drains into the Delaware River if that's important at all. He looks like a redbreast, but the head shape looks different from other redbreast youngsters I've seen...

P1000426.JPG 4.08MB 4 downloads

Back to top

#2 Guest_centrarchid_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 04:04 PM

Looks like a green sunfish. Do you have longear in your stream?

Back to top

#3 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 04:42 PM

Looks like a green sunfish. Do you have longear in your stream?

I considered green sunfish but I've been looking all over the internet for young greens and none I've seen have that those blue stripes under the eyes. Then again, I'm new to this fish thing. :blush:

I honestly don't know about longears in the creek. All I've seen about this creek is that it has "sunfish." I was collecting banded killifish and when I found this little guy.

Back to top

#4 Guest_fishlvr_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 05:23 PM

Green sunfish are highly variable. Judging by the size of it's mouth, I would say it's either a warmouth or a green, and I'm gonna go with green. Can you get a better full-body picture? Green sunfish have a black spot at the base of the soft dorsal and anal fins.

Back to top

#5 Guest_az9_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 07:42 PM

Green sunfish are highly variable. Judging by the size of it's mouth, I would say it's either a warmouth or a green, and I'm gonna go with green. Can you get a better full-body picture? Green sunfish have a black spot at the base of the soft dorsal and anal fins.

How about a hybrid of some kind? Natural sunfish hybrids are not uncommon.

Back to top

#6 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 08:13 PM

Well I looked at him from the side. Definitely has the dark spot on the soft dorsal. The anal fin gets darker near where it connects to the botdy, but it's not like a spot. More like a smear if that makes any sense?

Back to top

#7 Guest_centrarchid_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 08:13 PM

I can not see well enough to rule out hybrid but even if hybrid, green is involved.

Back to top

#8 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 08:36 PM

My vote is a green sunfish. Mine looked exactly like that until they were about four months old.

Back to top

#9 Guest_basssmaster_*

Guests

Posted 12 November 2009 - 09:43 PM

Does not look like a typical green sunfish im use to, I'm leaning more towards warmouth.. Need a better photo showing entire body...

Back to top

#10 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

Guests

Posted 13 November 2009 - 04:02 PM

Some more photos:

Posted Image

Back to top

#11 Guest_hmt321_*

Guests

Posted 13 November 2009 - 08:56 PM

I think it is a warmouth

here is a picture of my warmouth at about 1" - 1.5"

Posted Image

your fish defiantly has more pattern and color but my fish even today is very pale compared to warmouth i have caught and others i have seen in tanks.

the mouth hinge location in relation to the eye, eye size, and body shape are very close on both fish

here is the fish as of a few months ago (in case you are interested)

Posted Image

Back to top

#12 Guest_sonix215_*

Guests

Posted 13 November 2009 - 09:26 PM

sunny whereabouts do you live? i also got my sunnies and bullhead from the neshaminy creek. i live in horsham

Back to top

#13 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

Guests

Posted 13 November 2009 - 10:34 PM

sunny whereabouts do you live? i also got my sunnies and bullhead from the neshaminy creek. i live in horsham

In the USA

.

I forget whereabouts in Bucks County we were but that's the county I was in.

Back to top

#14 Guest_centrarchid_*

Guests

Posted 13 November 2009 - 11:04 PM

Fish at start of thread is a green sunfish.

Back to top

#15 Guest_basssmaster_*

Guests

Posted 14 November 2009 - 05:27 PM

Based on the new photos I think green sunfish is more likely, especially due too the light margins on the dorsal, anal, and cadual fins. It still looks slightly defferent than the greens I'm used to here in Mid-Missouri, But I can't put my fingure on it. I still wouldn't rule out the hybrid possiblility, there is a couple places in my area where the hybrid out numbers the pure Usualy F1(L.cyanellus X L.macrochirus) but they commonly hybridize with longear aswell in some streams.