Not a catfish-sunfish

[Birger]

Anyone good with sunfish, I am still a little confused which species.
Collected here along with the madtoms http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/im ... e_id=11946

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

How big are they? The fish in your pictures resemble this one--the markings near the gill covers are similar, but the pattern on the sides is a little different:


The definitely look like a Lepomis sp. Some pretty good info on them here:
http://gallery.nanfa.org/v/members/smba ... e/Lepomis/

[Birger]

How big are they?

Those pictures are from last year, this one is about 2.5-3 inches SL and starting to color up
(quick shot with messy glass)

[Silurus]

Isn't that a bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)?

[sunfish, posts: 280]

Definitely not gibbosus, the small red dot on the gills should be visible by now. I'd also say L. megalotis. But Lepomis are really hard to distinguish when they are young. So you'll have to wait a little longer to be sure.

L. macrochirus has different markings on the gills and hasn't such a prominant white seam around the black spot.

Great fish, if I ever have a big coldwater tank, that's what I will go for. I still regret I couldn't keep my fish from my master's thesis.

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

Lepomis are really hard to distinguish when they are young. So you'll have to wait a little longer to be sure.

Indeed. BTW, nice specimens you have there, Birger. It makes me want to net and keep some of the sunfish fry next time I'm at my friend's lake. Only thing is, adults are quite territorial and their nests/territories are large. I figure you'd need at least a 6'x2' footprint tank to house a small group, long term.

[sunfish, posts: 280]

I figure you'd need at least a 6'x2' footprint tank to house a small group, long term.

That would be the absolute minimum. For some of the larger species you'd need an even bigger tank. My L. gibbosus were housed in a standard 500-litre tank (a bit smaller than 7'x2'). It worked, but they never attempted to breed. I doubt if that would work with a group in such a "small" tank. They really are much better suited for a pond. If I ever try this it would be with L. humilis, although I am not sure whether I could actually get them here. But they stay quite small and are supposed to be rather peaceful.

[Birger]

Another shot

[Jools]

That last shot is really nice, sorry I know next to nothing about this group of fishes.

Jools


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Suckermouth, posts: 1514]

IIRC, even juvenile L. macrochirus have a long and pointed pectoral fin that reaches past the eye, so it shouldn't be L. macrochirus. L. megalotis seems more reasonable but I'm not that great at sunfish, especially juveniles.

[Birger]

I have been in contact with Bob Bock who led the feild trip where we caught these and is quite knowledgable in N.A.natives.

It's a young fish, so it's difficult to say definitively. I'm fairly certain, though, that it's a young Lepomis auritus-- a redbreast sunfish.

Stroke of luck on my part, that is what I first had them labeled as but the more I looked the more uncertain I became.

BTW, nice specimens you have there, Birger.

That last shot is really nice

Thanks, appreciate your comments

Birger

[Acanthicus, posts: 439]

Hi Birger,

in general I don´t know much about these fish, but recently I´ve seen a picture of Lepomis cyanelus, which matches really good with the last one you posted.
If you are interested PM me and I´ll send you the picture.

[Shane]

I have been in contact with Bob Bock who led the feild trip where we caught these and is quite knowledgable in N.A.natives.

Bob is who I would go to for any fish identification from the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. You will be hard pressed to get a more accurate identification (at least until the fish matures a bit).
-Shane