Keeping bluegills some questions.

Sunfish will be just fine at 75F. All of the Lepomis sunfish (the group I posted pics of back at the begining of the post) breed at mid to upper 70's. You should be fine with any sunfish species at that temperature even some of the more northern species go through lake temperatures in the summer time of 80 or above although things like smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and both crappie tend to be most active in spring and fall when temperatures are a little cooler.

Thanks, I was hoping they could be kept warmer so I could get some nice cichlids in there. ;*) yay

my wife has a convict in one of my sunfish tanks and a kribensis in another one of my tanks with some smaller sunfish, bantams and a female dollar.

...convicts I've read are INCREDIBLY aggressive..

My convict doesn't seem to be the least bit aggressive. I will suggest, however, a variant (some think it is a separate species) called the Honduran Red Point. It is the most beautiful, brilliant light blue I have ever seen. My daughter selected one for her birthday last summer, and it is the prettiest fish in my cichlid tank.

My convict doesn't seem to be the least bit aggressive. I will suggest, however, a variant (some think it is a separate species) called the Honduran Red Point. It is the most beautiful, brilliant light blue I have ever seen. My daughter selected one for her birthday last summer, and it is the prettiest fish in my cichlid tank.

Just from talking to several keepers and lots of reading. However, since I already have a pair, I'd probably stick with them.. I looked at HRP, after I got cons lol, problem is they aren't easy to find at petco/petsmart and I don't have a LFS closeby.

Allright quit talking about chicklets!

Rofl! owned!

Allright quit talking about chicklets!

Come on, Matt. It has been acknowledged here already that Central America is part of North America, and therefore Central American cichlids qualify as North American native fishes. I proudly extol my daughter's Honduran Red Point, and my other Central Americans.

In a tank as big as you're planning, you have tons of possibilities. If you want a mix of sunfish and cichlids, I'd try to stick with the temp around 75. In a tank that big you could also add a few perch, and some bullhead catfish. I know bullheads can handle that temp, and I'm almost positive perch could too. That would be a neat mix of colors and fish.

Just thought I'd post an update on how things are going! I haven't given up on keeping natives, quite the opposite. I decided buying a big tank was stupid, and am thinking of making one. No its not a 75, or even a 100. The tank I've been looking at building is 8 feet long, 3 feet tall, and 2 feet in width, holding an approximate 359 gallons of water! And having a large variety of sunnies, and even some cichlids if I kept the tank a little warmer. Do you think sunnies can do a temp around 75?

If you decide to build this tank you should start a new thread with a build log. When I finish my basement I am going to build a tank similar to that size. If you have some questions I am sure everybody here could help you with the build.

In a tank as big as you're planning, you have tons of possibilities. If you want a mix of sunfish and cichlids, I'd try to stick with the temp around 75. In a tank that big you could also add a few perch, and some bullhead catfish. I know bullheads can handle that temp, and I'm almost positive perch could too. That would be a neat mix of colors and fish.

Perch - I like them, good possibility
Have to research on bullheads though not sure on them lol, catfish aren't my strong point or my favorites

If you decide to build this tank you should start a new thread with a build log. When I finish my basement I am going to build a tank similar to that size. If you have some questions I am sure everybody here could help you with the build.

of course I will