# Pumpkinseed Sunfish in 20 gal.?



## Cichlid Dude! (Mar 15, 2011)

Hi everybody, well i was just recently out on a family fishing trip (catch and release, please nobody freak out, and besides, I caught nothing!), and I saw a bunch of really colorful pumpkinseeds spawning in the shallow water. They would have been really easy to catch and bring home, but I didn't have a suitable carry-home container for them, and I didn't know all of their aquarium requirements. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep and/or breed them in a 20 gal. tank, and if so, some tips on care and breeding would be helpful. Thanks !


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you want to keep one alone, I think it would do. They only get about 8'. The trick is keeping water clean and cool.

Breeding is similar to jewel cichlids with the exception that they can have 1700! fry. Way too much for a small tank. These fish are extremely aggresive when breeding and would likely kill each other in a small tank.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Definitely one for the kiddie pool breeding setup, but a popular choice for large glass tanks


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Sunfish are perch, and are actually closely related to cichlids. They're actually more aggressive (for their size) than most cichlids though. There are a few really small species that are more suitable for a heavily planted 20, but the catch is they'll only eat live food.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

At one time, I had two three inch bluegills in a ten gallon. Within minutes, the slightly larger one (1/8") had claimed 80% of the tank its own and the other was trapped in one corner. They did eat corn flakes though!


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## Cichlid Dude! (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks everyone!


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## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

Yeah I wouldnt recomend it, I currently have five in a 90 gallon and they have prety much the entire area claimed for seperate territories, something that would be much harder if they were in a smaller space. Also they have to be fed live/freeze dried foods (no flakes) they put out a lot of waste, and could muck up a 20 fairly fast.


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