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#s for a 55

Started by Guest_MasterJW_* , Aug 29 2013 06:50 PM

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14 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_MasterJW_*

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Posted 29 August 2013 - 06:50 PM

How many sunfish could live peacfully in a standard 55 gallon tank, with a good amount of cover?

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#2 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 29 August 2013 - 07:04 PM

I don't want to slam you, but that is a wide open question with no real answer... or maybe it is a question with a lot of answers...

redear sunfish - not even one
bluegill sunfish - 1fat sassy and happy
...
orangespot sunfish - lots and lots
...
blackbanded sunfish - really a whole school of 'em like maybe 2 dozen

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#3 Guest_MasterJW_*

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Posted 29 August 2013 - 07:36 PM

I was thinking o spot or dollars or other speacies of similar sizes, so how would that work out? (space and number wise)
(sorry for the vague question)

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#4 Guest_Orangespotted_*

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Posted 29 August 2013 - 08:00 PM

O spots are reasonable with tankmates but shy at first, dollars can be aggressive little snots. O spots have surprisingly big mouths for their size though so keep that in mind when selecting sizes of tankmates. Individuals of either species could be the opposite of their calling cards. I wouldn't mix the two though, I predict the dollars would harp far too much on the submissive o spots.

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#5 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 12:50 AM

I have never been able to keep more than three sunfish in a 55 (at first a rockbass, dollar, and pumpkinseed. Then a bluegill, dollar, and pumpkinseed). I find two lepomis in a 55 are uncomfortable and will fight alot. Three are very crowded and prone to constant fighting. Add a fourth and one will die.

I also will advise against micing ennecanthus with lepomis, or even with the more agressive killies. I fine ennecanthus kept with agressive fish (such as most lepomis) soon die. I never had luck with bandeds for that reason.

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#6 Guest_MasterJW_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 06:13 AM

I read on another forum that very slight over stocking could help lower agression by spreading it out over more fish, is that true?

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#7 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 09:13 AM

Yes. with territorial fish, 2 or 3 fish results in one becoming dominant and intimidating the others to death. A group of six or more works out better. This is true not only for sunfish, but aggressive minnows too like Cyprinellas.

I read on another forum that very slight over stocking could help lower aggression by spreading it out over more fish, is that true?

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#8 Guest_UncleWillie_*

Guests

Posted 30 August 2013 - 11:51 AM

Agreed. Of the Lepomis, I've kept dollars, redbreast, green, warmouth, and bluegill for various lengths of time. The best most well behaved group I've had was when I crammed 5 dollar sunfish and 3 warmouth in a 46 gallon tank for about 3-4 years. I removed the 3 warmouth when they all reached about got about 6 inches. Within weeks my largest male dollar (western dollar from Brian Zimmerman's stock, measured 6'' TL at the time of death, a record!) killed all 4 of the remaining sunfish. Things will get tough as the fish mature. But in all honesty, if you are going for a Lepomis-only tank, I'd stick at least 10 young fish in a 55 (depending on species). I've also had success when only keeping a single redbreast and numerous robust minnows (Nocomis, Luxilus, and large Cyprinella do fine). In summary, either crowd the hell of of them, or only keep one or two.

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#9 littlen

NANFA Member

Washington, D.C.

Posted 30 August 2013 - 12:08 PM

Alleviate your concerns.....get a bigger tank! We'd be much happier answing how many sunnies can live in your new, 75 or 125 gal.!

Nick L.

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#10 Guest_MasterJW_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 03:19 PM

A new larger tank is #1 i my current list of things I need/want, but I am currently building a custom terrarium for some carpet pythons I plan on getting so I'm slightly crunched for money at the moment, any one know the best place to buy large tanks or a cost effective way to build one?

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#11 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 03:45 PM

http://www.glasscage...iewCat&lCatID=2

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#12 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 03:55 PM

Or build a plywood tank. Plenty of info on how to with a google search. here is one I built. http://forum.nanfa.o... tank skipjack

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#13 Guest_EricaLyons_*

Guests

Posted 30 August 2013 - 05:54 PM

A 55 gallon would be like an ocean to pygmy sunfish. Here is a photo of one of my male Elassoma gilberti in ceratophyllum demersum ('hornwort', 'coontail').

Posted Image

http://gallery.nanfa...25762-4/006.JPG

I like that photo. He looks like a shark. You know he's evaluating me, lol. Dominant males will sometimes charge the front glass and flare right at you. The rest of the time they try to be invisible, except when you're dropping in live food.

This second photo is a female next to a one inch scale. That's a lymnaea pond snail next to her.

Posted Image

http://gallery.nanfa...caled photo.jpg

Orangespotted sunfish would also be happy in a 55 gallon tank, as mentioned before.

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#14 Guest_MasterJW_*

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Posted 31 August 2013 - 08:13 PM

could enneacanthus sunfish such as blue spotted sunfish be kept with elassoma?

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#15 Guest_EricaLyons_*

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Posted 31 August 2013 - 10:40 PM

could enneacanthus sunfish such as blue spotted sunfish be kept with elassoma?

I would not recommend that. Elassoma max out at one inch, which means for most of their life they're smaller. A four inch fish could easily eat a quarter inch fry. If the pygmy sunfish aren't breeding, you soon won't have any. They have a one year ish life span. When you get them they're already four months old minimum. The goal with keeping pygmy sunfish is to keep them in a breeding setup.