blue gill and bass?

TreeLaufe · 05-21-2005, 01:56 PM

I've had a baby bluegill (Jaws) in a tank for almost a year now, and just today I added a baby largemouth bass which is only a little longer than the bluegill. The little bluegill is not happy about having to share his tank and is occasionally chasing the bass and wagging his tail at him. My question is.. do you think they will get along if I give them time or are they too territorial of fish? Also, will the bass start picking on the bluegill once he gets more comfortable in the tank? Thank you !

Imbrium · 05-21-2005, 03:47 PM

How big a tank do you have? I would imagine that fish like that would probably be pretty agressive towards eachother.

**TheOldSalt** · 05-21-2005, 05:55 PM

Since bluegills are a bass's favorite snack, I don't think they'll ever be too happy together.

TreeLaufe · 05-21-2005, 06:35 PM

They are in a 5 Gal. tank.. but they're both pretty small. The bluegill is about an inch long and the bass is maybe almost 2 inches. I really want to keep them both.. (without having to set up another aquarium).. I think its funny how the bluegill is the one pestering the bass..

Imbrium · 05-21-2005, 08:05 PM

You do know that bluegill get to be over a foot long right? And bass get over 3 feet. You need to get rid of these fish.

TreeLaufe · 05-21-2005, 09:53 PM

I have bigger aquariums to put them in if they grow. Do you know how long it would take them to get that large ?

Imbrium · 05-22-2005, 01:40 PM

The bass will eat the bluegill. They will get huge quickly. You would have to have an incredibly huge tank, and even then you won't be able to keep them together. You might be able to keep the bluegill if you have a tank that's at least 90 gal.

Ownager2004 · 05-22-2005, 01:43 PM

lol since when do largemouth bass get 3 ft?

TreeLaufe · 05-22-2005, 01:52 PM

I don't think that they will get that big.. and I've had my bluegill almost a year and he's still only an inch. I caught him for an ecosystem project in my environmental science class last august... I got kind of attached to him.

Doesn't the size of the tank affect how large they grow, or is that just a myth ?

Ownager2004 · 05-22-2005, 02:16 PM

It does affect how large they grow... but in a harmful way. The reason fish dont grow to they're full potential when put in smaller tanks is because of water quality and health issues. Not just adjusting to their environment.

TreeLaufe · 05-22-2005, 03:07 PM

yea it doesn't seem to be working out between them... the bluegill is being really pushy towards the bass, especially when I put food in the tank. I didn't want to set up another aquarium, but I guess i'm going to have to.. my dad won't be too happy about that lol... especially since i'm supposed to be getting rid of my pets because i'm leaving for college in the fall..

Is it safe to let fish go after keeping them in captivity for a while? Will they remember how to survive in the "wild"?

**TheOldSalt** · 05-22-2005, 03:27 PM

No, it's not safe. Captive fish are usually exposed to aquarium diseases at some point in their captivity, and those diseases wind up in the wild where they wreak havoc. Whirling disease, for example, which is wiping out millions of fish up there in your part of the country, was introdued to american waters by the release of captive fish.
Don't do it.
There are plenty of people who would love to have fish like those, so ask around a bit. The petshops can't take them, but I'm sure that somebody wants them.

As for the growth inhibition in aquaria, it is true if the water is not clean enough. Growth inhibitor hormone accumulates in a dirty tank and stunts the fish. Since a 5 gallon tank is certainly no place for a bluegill, it's no wonder the fish is still so small after a year.

TreeLaufe · 05-22-2005, 08:06 PM

Wow I had no idea that could happen..

mlefev · 05-22-2005, 11:45 PM

I've never seen a foot long bluegill. Although I don't think these two fish should be kept together or in a tank that size, I still have NEVER seen a bluegill that big in my life and my grandparents kept them for years in a large pond (like a real pond...30 feet across or so).

Imbrium · 05-23-2005, 09:06 AM

I was just saying they could get that big. Not that they always do. The point is that these fish have no business being in a 5 gallon tank. I think it's ok to keep the bluegill if you get a large tank, but the bass is still going to be to big.
Maybe that huge Cabelas in Dundee would take them. Are you far from there?

Ownager2004 · 05-23-2005, 12:09 PM

Ive caught a 10" blue gill out of a really small farm pond before. And my uncle has a few mounted that are bigger than the one i caught.

TreeLaufe · 05-23-2005, 01:13 PM

I do know where there is a store that has one of those huge freshwater tanks... but I talked to my friend today who is opening his own fish store and he said he would take the bass. At the size they are now, do you think they could live happily in a 10 gallon? I also have I think a 50 gallon but I'm not sure. I have one more larger aquarium but it has my turtle in it.

fishboy · 05-25-2005, 03:58 PM

I don't know why you kept the bass but if someone will take him get rid of him. I'm not trying to sound cruel as i get this is your pet put you need to take better care of it. If that bluegill lives there to long his growth will stunt for a few monthes. After that he won't be able to take it and will continue his growth on the inside but stay small on the outside. This will cause his intestines to clog as they grow and push together and his spine to get to long and twist into a "S" shape. After this it is all over for Jaws and you may even have to consider putting him down at this point for his quality of life will be gone. So as soon as you can upgrade himinto a cycled aquarium of 90 gallons or even your 50 will hold him for a while DO IT. You can even get him a few friends

TreeLaufe · 05-25-2005, 07:00 PM

My dad didn't believe me when I told him about how stunting a fish's growth in a small tank is harmful.

I'll try to move them into the bigger tank sometime next week.. if my dad will let me... or I'll just get rid of them. Either way I'm gonna have to get rid of them eventually.. I can't take them to college in a 50 gallon tank lol. Hopefully my dad will get attached to them and keep them for me when I leave.

[In a bigger tank.. don't yell at me!]

fishboy · 05-25-2005, 07:31 PM

I'm just saying ditch the bass but u can keep the bluegill. Hope your dad gets attached to it

when you go to college maybe you could try to teach Jaws a trick to get your dad's attention

05-21-2005, 01:56 PM	#1
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	blue gill and bass? I've had a baby bluegill (Jaws) in a tank for almost a year now, and just today I added a baby largemouth bass which is only a little longer than the bluegill. The little bluegill is not happy about having to share his tank and is occasionally chasing the bass and wagging his tail at him. My question is.. do you think they will get along if I give them time or are they too territorial of fish? Also, will the bass start picking on the bluegill once he gets more comfortable in the tank? Thank you !

05-21-2005, 06:35 PM	#4
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	bluegill & bass They are in a 5 Gal. tank.. but they're both pretty small. The bluegill is about an inch long and the bass is maybe almost 2 inches. I really want to keep them both.. (without having to set up another aquarium).. I think its funny how the bluegill is the one pestering the bass..

05-25-2005, 03:58 PM	#18
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	I don't know why you kept the bass but if someone will take him get rid of him. I'm not trying to sound cruel as i get this is your pet put you need to take better care of it. If that bluegill lives there to long his growth will stunt for a few monthes. After that he won't be able to take it and will continue his growth on the inside but stay small on the outside. This will cause his intestines to clog as they grow and push together and his spine to get to long and twist into a "S" shape. After this it is all over for Jaws and you may even have to consider putting him down at this point for his quality of life will be gone. So as soon as you can upgrade himinto a cycled aquarium of 90 gallons or even your 50 will hold him for a while DO IT. You can even get him a few friends __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

05-25-2005, 07:31 PM	#20
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	I'm just saying ditch the bass but u can keep the bluegill. Hope your dad gets attached to it when you go to college maybe you could try to teach Jaws a trick to get your dad's attention __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

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05-21-2005, 03:47 PM	#2
Imbrium Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 26 Posts: 384	How big a tank do you have? I would imagine that fish like that would probably be pretty agressive towards eachother.

05-21-2005, 05:55 PM	#3
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,250	Since bluegills are a bass's favorite snack, I don't think they'll ever be too happy together.

05-21-2005, 08:05 PM	#5
Imbrium Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 26 Posts: 384	You do know that bluegill get to be over a foot long right? And bass get over 3 feet. You need to get rid of these fish.

05-21-2005, 09:53 PM	#6
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	I have bigger aquariums to put them in if they grow. Do you know how long it would take them to get that large ?

05-22-2005, 01:40 PM	#7
Imbrium Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 26 Posts: 384	The bass will eat the bluegill. They will get huge quickly. You would have to have an incredibly huge tank, and even then you won't be able to keep them together. You might be able to keep the bluegill if you have a tank that's at least 90 gal.

05-22-2005, 01:43 PM	#8
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	lol since when do largemouth bass get 3 ft?

05-22-2005, 01:52 PM	#9
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	I don't think that they will get that big.. and I've had my bluegill almost a year and he's still only an inch. I caught him for an ecosystem project in my environmental science class last august... I got kind of attached to him. Doesn't the size of the tank affect how large they grow, or is that just a myth ?

05-22-2005, 02:16 PM	#10
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	It does affect how large they grow... but in a harmful way. The reason fish dont grow to they're full potential when put in smaller tanks is because of water quality and health issues. Not just adjusting to their environment.

05-22-2005, 03:07 PM	#11
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	yea it doesn't seem to be working out between them... the bluegill is being really pushy towards the bass, especially when I put food in the tank. I didn't want to set up another aquarium, but I guess i'm going to have to.. my dad won't be too happy about that lol... especially since i'm supposed to be getting rid of my pets because i'm leaving for college in the fall.. Is it safe to let fish go after keeping them in captivity for a while? Will they remember how to survive in the "wild"?

05-22-2005, 03:27 PM	#12
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,250	No, it's not safe. Captive fish are usually exposed to aquarium diseases at some point in their captivity, and those diseases wind up in the wild where they wreak havoc. Whirling disease, for example, which is wiping out millions of fish up there in your part of the country, was introdued to american waters by the release of captive fish. Don't do it. There are plenty of people who would love to have fish like those, so ask around a bit. The petshops can't take them, but I'm sure that somebody wants them. As for the growth inhibition in aquaria, it is true if the water is not clean enough. Growth inhibitor hormone accumulates in a dirty tank and stunts the fish. Since a 5 gallon tank is certainly no place for a bluegill, it's no wonder the fish is still so small after a year.

05-22-2005, 08:06 PM	#13
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	Wow I had no idea that could happen..

05-22-2005, 11:45 PM	#14
mlefev Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: California Age: 26 Posts: 817	I've never seen a foot long bluegill. Although I don't think these two fish should be kept together or in a tank that size, I still have NEVER seen a bluegill that big in my life and my grandparents kept them for years in a large pond (like a real pond...30 feet across or so).

05-23-2005, 09:06 AM	#15
Imbrium Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 26 Posts: 384	I was just saying they could get that big. Not that they always do. The point is that these fish have no business being in a 5 gallon tank. I think it's ok to keep the bluegill if you get a large tank, but the bass is still going to be to big. Maybe that huge Cabelas in Dundee would take them. Are you far from there?

05-23-2005, 12:09 PM	#16
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	Ive caught a 10" blue gill out of a really small farm pond before. And my uncle has a few mounted that are bigger than the one i caught.

05-23-2005, 01:13 PM	#17
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	I do know where there is a store that has one of those huge freshwater tanks... but I talked to my friend today who is opening his own fish store and he said he would take the bass. At the size they are now, do you think they could live happily in a 10 gallon? I also have I think a 50 gallon but I'm not sure. I have one more larger aquarium but it has my turtle in it.

05-25-2005, 07:00 PM	#19
TreeLaufe Fishy Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 21 Posts: 13	My dad didn't believe me when I told him about how stunting a fish's growth in a small tank is harmful. I'll try to move them into the bigger tank sometime next week.. if my dad will let me... or I'll just get rid of them. Either way I'm gonna have to get rid of them eventually.. I can't take them to college in a 50 gallon tank lol. Hopefully my dad will get attached to them and keep them for me when I leave. [In a bigger tank.. don't yell at me!]

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