Hi, I'm working on setting up a 150 gallon slow-moving planted tank. The demensions are 72"x18"x29". I want to keep a grass pickerel in it with some other fish. Are there any fish that can be kept with a grass pickerel that it won't eat and won't pick on it. Thanks for your time and help.
Tankmates for a Grass Pickerel
Started by
Guest_fishyz_*
, Jan 16 2007 10:39 PM
26 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_dredcon_*
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 10:48 PM
I am keeping one with a big pirate perch and have had no problems so far.
#3
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:05 PM
If mine is really full he usually lets some of the feeders live for like 60 seconds! 
Chad
Chad
#4
Guest_smbass_*
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:22 PM
a 150 is a big tank I think you could put several pickerel and possibly some of the less aggressive sunfish species too. A larger chubsucker would be a good tankmate but finding one would be tuff in ohio but you may be able to get someone on here to send you one, other suckers may work too but they can be difficult to keep at all. I like the suggestion of the pirate perch too but it would have to be a big one. Possibly a gar, or yellow perch. I'm sure there are other options too.
#5
Guest_drewish_*
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:26 PM
Yellow perch and some of the sunfish species should work. It will take some experimenting. Also, I'd try to get the pickerel on non-live food before adding it to a community setting.
I plan on keeping my redfin pickerel with a yellow perch, warmouth, and a creek chubsucker (next time I find a nice specimen).
I plan on keeping my redfin pickerel with a yellow perch, warmouth, and a creek chubsucker (next time I find a nice specimen).
#6
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:31 PM
drewish just looking at your other post gave me an idea, what about larger minnow species like nocomis or creek chubs or striped or common shiners, I can see big ones becoming targets for a pickerel as long as this pickerel is well fed. Plus these would be more active fish to watch and some are somewhat atractive when in spawning colors.
#7
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:43 PM
I think that anything that is a top water swimmer will eventually become food for the pickerel. They are just too big of targets. I was thinking of keeping mine with maybe bluehead chubs when he gets the 55 to himself. But honestly I like the single specimen tank with mine. It focuses all of the attention on that one fish and I like to show him off. He is always front and center also so it works out nicely.
Chad
Chad
#8
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 17 January 2007 - 11:06 AM
I agree with your thoughts here and tried it once with a small red fin and a very large stoneroller. It sort of worked in that the stoneroller did not get eaten... however, even though he was the same size as the red fin, he had no confidence whatsoever and stayed hidden all the time. He seemed to begin to waste away and I had to relocate him to another tank (where he did fine). So maybe he was just a wimp, or maybe food is just hardwired to be afraid of the big scary predator... even when the food is big and the predator was ignoring him.
drewish just looking at your other post gave me an idea, what about larger minnow species like nocomis or creek chubs or striped or common shiners, I can see big ones becoming targets for a pickerel as long as this pickerel is well fed. Plus these would be more active fish to watch and some are somewhat atractive when in spawning colors.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#9
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 17 January 2007 - 04:26 PM
I personally would keep it species with a bunch of pickerel...
Chad
Chad
#10
Guest_fishyz_*
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Posted 17 January 2007 - 04:54 PM
There are some of what look like warmouths in the pond where I'm getting the pickerel so I'll give those a try. I'll also make sure and have a tank set up and ready to go so if anything goes wrong.
#11
Guest_killier_*
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#12
Guest_smbass_*
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Posted 17 January 2007 - 05:31 PM
I think warmouth or bullhead could work if size is similar and the tank has plenty of hiding places.
#13
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 17 January 2007 - 09:04 PM
I am going to try one of my bullheads with my pickerel when they get to size...
Chad
Chad
#14
Guest_fishyz_*
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Posted 18 January 2007 - 04:28 PM
The tank has lots of rocks on the bottom of it and a piece of driftwood in it (but it hasn't completly submerged yet). I also want lots of plants in it so I will avoid the bullhead because I've heard they rip up plants alot.I think warmouth or bullhead could work if size is similar and the tank has plenty of hiding places.
#15
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 18 January 2007 - 04:33 PM
I have plants in with my bullheads and haven't noticed any problems...
Chad
Chad
#16
Guest_fishyz_*
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Posted 18 January 2007 - 04:44 PM
Well, I want lots of plants in the tank and a bullhead would get big enough that it pull out plants without trying to.I have plants in with my bullheads and haven't noticed any problems...
Chad
#17
Guest_chad55_*
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Posted 18 January 2007 - 05:18 PM
This is true! Good luck with whatever you decide to put with your pickerel.Well, I want lots of plants in the tank and a bullhead would get big enough that it pull out plants without trying to.
Chad
#18
Guest_fishyz_*
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Posted 18 January 2007 - 05:46 PM
I think I'll give thos warmouths a try scince they're easy to get. Thanks for all the help guys.
#19
Guest_pirahnafreak13_*
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Posted 21 January 2007 - 12:03 AM
ya, im helping him catch them. the pond is right by my house, its really awesome, there are so many neat things there
#20
Guest_NateTessler13_*
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Posted 22 January 2007 - 04:37 PM
Put the Pickerel in with...White Crappie - they are one of my favorite fish and also have slow feeding methods like the Pickerel.
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