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Anyone keeping pygmy sunfish?

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  • Anyone keeping pygmy sunfish?

    Just wondering if anyone is keeping pygmy sunfish? I'm thinking of setting up some small aquariums in my garage. I just wondering about temerature tolerance (winter-summer).Any experience or tips would be helpful.
    Emerald Green Rainbowfish
    Yellow Rabbit Snails

  • #2
    I have kept them in the past and remember not using a heater, but the tanks were inside the house and had decent PC lighting systems on them. I believe I left the lights on for 12-14 hours and it had ridiculously overgrown foliage everywhere, but the RCS and Gammarus never seemed to mind and I only rarely ever fed them anything. On hindsight though I never seemed to spot the sunfish. They did thrive in that tank as well as the local killifish.
    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
    Desiderius Erasmus
    GHAC President

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    • #3
      I decided to keep them indoors. I'm gonna try out a group of 4 in a 3 gallon planted. I'm gonna order some E. gilberti this week.
      Emerald Green Rainbowfish
      Yellow Rabbit Snails

      Comment


      • #4
        Where did you get them? Do you know if I'm wasting my time searching a White Oak bayou tributary in Jersey Village? I'm trying to establish a biotope from fish and plants collected from behind my house and I'd love to have some of these fish.
        DOWNSTAIRS display tanks:
        20g - 1 yellow Glowfish, 1 long-fin Danio and 3 Cherry Barbs
        37g - 3 Zebra Danios, 5 Red Serpae Tetras, Dwarf Flame Gourami and Red Tail Shark
        10g - single male Betta (daughters responsibility)
        UPSTAIRS research/quarantine tanks:
        10g - mosquitofish tank awaiting rebuild
        20g - heavily fake planted housing 8 Dwarf Gourami RIP Blue, Flame and unnamed
        20g - empty tank with beautiful black Tahitian moon sand
        10g - hospital sterilized and dry :-)
        5.5g - fry tank with mosquitofish born 1 Mar 2012

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        • #5
          I have seen them for sale on a few different websites, but have managed to catch a ton on nearly any trip to my local creeks in Spring. As I think about it, I don't believe I have ever captured any in the White Oak Bayou area, but they may be there. Submersed vegetation is where I locate them and they are quite small and easily missed. If you need a hand or want some directions to places up here in Spring just let me know and would be happy to oblige. I always look forward to a reason to go collecting, hahaha.
          In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
          Desiderius Erasmus
          GHAC President

          Comment


          • #6
            Thank you very much for the info and the offer. Let me know next time you are going "collecting", I'd like to go along if possible. I haven't waded any creeks since I was kid helping my dad seine minnows and grabbing crawdads for fishing. I was hoping to collect from White Oak, but I'm not too proud to take pretty fish from somewhere else. I like your signature by the way, quite profound and highly applicable to everyday life.
            DOWNSTAIRS display tanks:
            20g - 1 yellow Glowfish, 1 long-fin Danio and 3 Cherry Barbs
            37g - 3 Zebra Danios, 5 Red Serpae Tetras, Dwarf Flame Gourami and Red Tail Shark
            10g - single male Betta (daughters responsibility)
            UPSTAIRS research/quarantine tanks:
            10g - mosquitofish tank awaiting rebuild
            20g - heavily fake planted housing 8 Dwarf Gourami RIP Blue, Flame and unnamed
            20g - empty tank with beautiful black Tahitian moon sand
            10g - hospital sterilized and dry :-)
            5.5g - fry tank with mosquitofish born 1 Mar 2012

            Comment


            • #7
              No problem at all, I always get out at least a few times a year. The current temp and time is not as productive for fishing them, but spring usually produces a ridiculous amount of them. I myself would just wait till March/April, depending on the weather. They can be quite tricky to keep alive in an aquarium as they have a penchant for only eating live food and appreciating some dense vegetation. I have found that developing a tank with thick Java Moss and plants laden with Red Cherry shrimp and Scuds will have them thriving. They are ararely seen, but when you do it is wonderful indeed and they will attempt reproduction in such a set up. If your up for it I don't mind the cold and I'm sure we could find something to make the trip worthwhile. I generally find them with local aquatic plants, scuds, grass shrimp, killifish, and a variety of other little oddballs thrown in. Either way, just let me know and we can get a date figured out. I work offshore and am away for 14 days at a time, but have a lot of time off when I am in.
              In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
              Desiderius Erasmus
              GHAC President

              Comment


              • #8
                I just went collecting this afternoon and collected 5 Banded Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma zonatum). They are all in the neighborhood of 1" and seem active and healthy. If anyone wants them just shoot me a PM or reply here and your welcome to pick them up. They were quite thick so I am sure more can be caught should I run out before everyone can get what they want.
                In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                Desiderius Erasmus
                GHAC President

                Comment


                • #9
                  Been looking for these as well..
                  Anyone ever come across any darters?

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                  • #10
                    Yes I have actually. In our location or very nearby at least. Spring Creek can yeild darters as well as Caney creek. I find them in the sandy rapid areas, chase them a bit and they'll dart under the sand. Then just drag your net and let the sand filter with the water. You'll have quite a few in no time.
                    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                    Desiderius Erasmus
                    GHAC President

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Have you ID'ed them? They sound like sand darters, but I've mostly found dusky darters in that area. Most of the other darters in southeast and east Texas continue to elude me as I tend to go out alone... need to find some folks to pull a seine with me.

                      The orange and greenthroat darters in central Texas are quite a bit more abundant once you get into them.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by decal View Post
                        Have you ID'ed them? They sound like sand darters, but I've mostly found dusky darters in that area. Most of the other darters in southeast and east Texas continue to elude me as I tend to go out alone... need to find some folks to pull a seine with me.

                        The orange and greenthroat darters in central Texas are quite a bit more abundant once you get into them.
                        where you located? i may be down to go.
                        ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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                        • #13
                          If my memory serves they were scaly sand darters, it has been some many years since I went darter collecting though. I recommend overlooking Dan Johnson's website of local Houston darters, he usually lists collection points if you are searching for specific species. Spring Creek @ Riley-Fuzzel is a great site and Peach Creek @ the entrance to Roman Forest subdivision yielded tons a few years ago and the water is shallow and crystal clear.
                          In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                          Desiderius Erasmus
                          GHAC President

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Yeah, I've been to a lot of Dan's collection localities and then some (made a trip to Nacogdoches a few weeks ago). Haven't had as much success as he had, suspect technique and time of year had a lot to do with it. I alternate between the med center and Sugar Land throughout the week but mostly prefer to fish northeast of Houston unless I'm looking for brackish or salty stuff. I might be up for a seining trip in March or April.

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                            • #15
                              If I am in I'd be happy to go and assist, just have a weird schedule
                              In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                              Desiderius Erasmus
                              GHAC President

                              Comment

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