......................................Bluegill
Other names:...........none Origin:......................North America Max size:..................10" PH:............-..............6.8-7.2 Temperature:...........39-72 F. Min tank size:..........55 gallons Food:.........................live foods, vegetable matter |
The bluegill is possibly the most common and most widely introduced sunfish
in the world. It originates from North America where it is popular as a
gamefish.
The body is typical of all sunfish. Deep, robust, and cichlid-like. The
mouth is small and the front of the dorsal fin is spiny as it is in all
other sunfish. This is a very fish-like fish.
The coloring is a dusky olive-green with five to seven dark vertical bands
which fade as they approach the middle of the fish. There is a black
opercular spot just behind the top of the gill. Often there is another
black opercular spot on the back of the dorsal fin. In many bluegills
there is various moddling patterns of dark and light scales with an
orange to red sheen. The belly is a creamy color. The pectoral and pelvic
fins are often pigmented with white.
To catch bluegills, the best method is to dip-net young specimens which
always hug the shore with dense vegetation and other hideouts. Of course they can always
be caught with angling, though you should exercise caution when attempting
this. It might be possible to trap bluegills too.
The bluegill is a hardy fish which adapts well to captivity as long as they
have the oppurtunity to set up territory and space. They can be fairly
aggressive (especially larger specimens) so it is best to keep a pair of adults by
themselves or with other large centrachids. They look great with other
sunfish particularly bass, but excersize caution for bass are specifically
designed to eat bluegills and similar pan-fish. Other tankmates could include
our native catfish, and just about any other hardy gamefish which is slightly the same size and can
take care of itself. They aren't picky about water quality as long as
it's well oxygenated, fresh, cool and clean. They accept any food as long as it's fairly
meaty and nutritious. Worms and shrimp seem to be their favorite. Overall
this fish presents little trouble in an aquarium and is a good starter
fish for your native tank. Very adaptable and hardy.
Breeding can be accomplished as long as they are conditioned with nutritious
live food and kept in a large tank by themselves with favorable conditions.
They spawn in a typical sunfish method: dig a nest (substrate should be suited for this), deposit the eggs, which
are guarded untill the offspring can fend for themselves - much like cichlids.
Of course a pond works the best for this.
The bluegill is a wonderful native fish which is as intelligent and
interesting as most cichlids. They make a wonderful forage fish and
garden filler. Good for beginners.
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