I have a fish in a bucket right now...HELP Needed asap!

4222 Views 47 Replies 25 Participants Last post by lester, Dec 6, 2007

retoid

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2007 (Edited)

2

My gf and I just got back from crawdading.
The first thing I caught was a small fish.
I believe it is either a Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) or a Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus).

I will post up pics very soon. I did some reading and I guess it's a common fish kept in aquariums. What is my best approach for this fish if I want to add him to my tank? He is about 3 and a half inches long. I caught him in a small creek in northwest washington. Normally the water is fairly cold. I don't want to shock him to much so I am open to suggestions as far as how to introduce him into my tank.

Green Sunfish

Pumpkinseed

I am almost certain he is a Green Sunfish.

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retoid

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jul 23, 2007

I just tested the water I caught him from and the pH is LOW, 5.8
and the kH is 2

The Tank I wish to introduce him into is pH 7.6 and kH is 7

Is this possible? If its going to be to big of a shock I will drive back and release him back into the creek.

I also have another tank that is pH 6.8 and kH is 4-5 but it has a few cherry red shrimp, amanos and small tetras. I am afraid that this fish will try to eat them.
I was reading up on it and it didnt mention it feeding on smaller fish. mainly invertebrates.

retoid

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 23, 2007

bump, anyone with some more fish knowledge than I, please help.

mistergreen

· #4 · Jul 23, 2007

My little niece caught a green sun fish and put it in her little fountain out back where the ph is around 7.7. I couldn't believe what they told me. They caught the fish and wrapped it in a paper towl for 10 minutes before it was put in the fountain. It survived in the fountain for 2 weeks before I released it back in the pond where it was caught.

They seem pretty hardy. I wouldn't worry about the different PH &KH... Just acclimate it well.

bigstick120

· #5 · Jul 23, 2007

What size tank, sunfish can get fairly big. Also there are regulations on size limits that you can take. I dont know what they are in WA. I would just return it. If you decide to do it later go catch another as long as its legal.

retoid

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 23, 2007

I know its legal.
The first tank is 29gal. the other is 20gal.

I read that they do not exceed 6"-8"

bigstick120

· #7 · Jul 23, 2007

Is there anything in the tank? They more then likely will eat anything smaller then it as well. What are you going to do if it gets 6-8"+ in a 20-29 gallon tank??

retoid

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 23, 2007

Well, I would start a larger tank. I plan on starting a 75gal tank in the near future. If things start to go wrong, I only live 10min from where I caught him. And I will gladly release him back into his natural habitat.

bigstick120

· #9 · Jul 23, 2007

Looks like you already made up your mind then.

retoid

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 23, 2007

hehe, WOW LOOK at his colors! Now I am almost convinced he is a pumpkinseed.

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retoid

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 23, 2007

Definitely a pumpkinseed, his fins are pointier and he has a shorter body than the green sunfish.

CampCreekTexas

· #12 · Jul 23, 2007

It's not a good idea to release something you've had in your aquarium into the wild, even if that's where you originally got it. No telling what diseases or parasites you could possibly have in your tank, then that fish gets it, then he carries it back to the wild. Really not a good idea.

retoid

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 23, 2007

Ahh good call CampCreekTexas, thanks.
I will make him a nice home. Already spoke with my gf about setting up a 75gal tank, we are on it

lemonlime

· #14 · Jul 23, 2007

WOW he/she is gorgeous! Hopefully he does well !

Digsy

· #15 · Jul 23, 2007

I didn't realize we had such beautiful freshwater fish up here! Great catch!

retoid

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 23, 2007

Lemonlime, Digsy, Yeah, I was super shocked to see this fish inside the crawdad trap, and shocked to see this sort of fish in our creeks.

I've been doing some more reading on it and it turns out this fish was actually illegally introduced to our waters, as well as large mouth bass hehe.

Beautiful fish, it really made my day. Another great thing is that this fish was now harmed or hooked in any way.

evercl92

· #17 · Jul 23, 2007

Very sweet looking fish. I believe those are related to the Blue Gills we have around here... I think. If so, I'd be lead to believe that he'll get a little attitude as he ages.

zackish

· #18 · Jul 23, 2007

Any fish out of a pond or body of water around our area is going to be pretty hardy.

randomrambler

· #19 · Jul 23, 2007

Gorgeous fish. How's he doing?

By the way, its illegal to introduce fish into the wild I believe. Even if they're a species found where you live.

lemonlime

· #20 · Jul 23, 2007 (Edited)

Caught him with his fin in the crawdad pot eh?

Do update ever so often, I'm curious to see how he does. Collecting a local specimen and raising it interests me, in fact I was just researching local fishes the other day.

Finding information on minnows and non-game type fishes isn't very easy though.

Really pretty fish. Perhaps if you setup the 75 you could do a cool water native tank!

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