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Article on Black Banded Sunfish in VA

Z

zendog

Active Member
Frank has a breeding colony of these little native gems.
https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/2017/07/return-to-blackwater/

I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a very peaceful native that could use a little preservation. We had a group of 4 and I really enjoyed watching them glide around the tank. Unfortunately we lost them in a tub outside last summer, probably due to the water being too hot for them. They also work year round in a pond here if you keep it acidic enough with rainwater, but of course with their coloration you'll probably never see them...
 
Z

zendog

Active Member
crumpy666 said:
That Redfin Pickeral in the artical was awesome.
Click to expand...
Yes, I've thought about trying to collect one, but they are really one fish to a tank. Even if one is just a little bigger than another the bigger one may try to swallow the other.
 
Frank Cowherd

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
I have some black banded sunfish inside in a 40g and some outside in a year around pond. I have had both for over 6 years. I do not do anything to keep the pH any particular place. The black banded sunfish seem to be quite adaptable to whatever conditions you provide. They are from east coast swamps so can handle acid water well, but if acclimated to harder water there seems to be no problem.

In the early years of the aquarium hobby in the US the black banded sunfish were supposedly sold as the north American angelfish. They can be kept together. I also have breeding pairs of BNs in with them.

I tried once to feed the black banded sunfish some swordtail fry. As far as I could tell none were eaten. Black banded sunfish are definitely not as aggressive as angelfish.
 
Sonny Disposition

Sonny Disposition

Active Member
They're a lot like angels, actually, only with a better temperament. They are absolutely incredible sight predators, and will pick off all the mosquito larvae in your tub or pond. They're really good about concealing themselves, so you won't see much of them when they're outside-- the herons will likely go for something else. I like them as an indoor fish, though, because they're so slow and graceful. Feeding them might be a problem, too, though, as they definitely prefer something moving. They'll also get spoiled, like discus, and even refuse some live foods if they're used to something else. I kept mine with white clouds for a time, and they learned to eat my home-made beef heart mix after watching the white clouds, but they were never very enthusiastic about it. The other thing to keep in mind is that they always need soft, acidic water. I've seen people kill wild-caught fish off over time by trying to acclimate them to hard tap water.
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
I think they'd get plenty of insect larvae in my pond. We have neighbors whose gutters are not frequently cleaned.
 
Z

zendog

Active Member
The ones we had came from Frank who has kept them for several generations, so they are no longer wild. They were fine in 50% tap, 50% rain and even a higher percentage of tap after we did some water changes. They would eat frozen brine or bloodworms as well as some small pellets meant for growing out fry (can't remember the name, but like large golden pearls), but were certainly much more excited whenever they were given live daphnia. They are really very graceful as they glide around, but were certainly on the shy side.

Hmmm... with all this talk I may need to get some again from Frank this fall.
 
Z

zendog

Active Member
Maybe chopped up worms. You could keep them in a tank for a while to monitor what they eat before moving them to the pond.

To be honest, I don't feed my pond fish, since there is enough fauna, etc. for them to forage on. You saw my little pond and that generates enough food to support a couple dozen Rosy reds that spawn each spring, plus two goldfish. When I put fish in tubs, they get a few flakes a couple times a week while the tub is new, but by June they're on their own as well. If I was actively trying to breed them, I'd probably feed them, but even without it my endlers quadrupled and my Goedieds at least doubled.
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
I don't think I'd feed them very often. I'm surprised that black banded sunfish may not eat worms, though. I have grindal worms for my fish, so I could feed those occasionally.

I agree on the bigger point. When I had fish in a tub, they did fine without feeding. My Ameca splendens and Diamond tetras tripled.

Just added some plants!
 
Z

zendog

Active Member
I expect they'd love grindels, but it is mostly a matter of their size and what I've seen them eat that makes me think full sized worms are too much. They are more of the micro food eater than something that will tear up a worm.

By the way, here is an old blog post from someone with fish they collected from the Potomac, including blue spotted sunfish, plus darters and Killies.
http://www.guitarfish.org/?s=Blue+spotted+sunfish+potomac
 
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