Re: New Tank Setup.......
 

I'm calling a M+G at Lard's house. No license needed:D
So what time is good Craig?

Re: New Tank Setup.......
 

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Cool aquariums.

After I lost all of my tropical fish after the extended power outage following Super-storm Sandy, I decided to only buy cold-tolerant fish. I caught a bunch of one inch-long Pumkinseed sunfish and added them to the aquarium. The sunfish will sometimes eat floating pellets, but their favorite foods are earthworms and small pieces of shrimp.

Sunfish are definitely the most aggresive, nastiest fish I ever kept. They chase each other around constantly until they figure out who is the weakest one. Then they harass and beat-up that one weak fish mercilessly. The beat-up fish would turn black and hide in the rocks. Every time he poked his head out to eat, he would be in for another beaing.

Eventually I removed the fish that was getting beat-up. The sunfish then started fighting until they selected another fish to beat-up.

One-by-one I kept removing the fish that was getting beat up. I am now down to ONE Pumkinseed Sunfish.

The wood and rocks were getting kind of skuzzy, so I added a Chinese Algae Eater to keep the tank clean. So far, this arangement seems to be working.

I'll post some pics after I get home.

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I have African Cichlids (very territorial) and have had the same aggression issues you mentioned. They will chase, ram, and bite a fish til its wedged upside down stuck to the filter. Add some sort of structure to the aquarium so they have hiding spots to escape getting harrassed. Lace rock is great, as its sturdy enough to stack up in the tank and porous enough to hold TONS of good nitrifying bacteria. PVC tubes work well also, though they are not as aesthetically pleasing.

Your other option is to overstock(lots of fish) your tank and having NO structure in there. BY doing this, your "top dog" Sunnie can spread his aggression on multiple fish and not KO one specific fish. If you go this route, I would definitely over filter your aquarium. Never too much filtration in any case, but with overstocking you need it. I have a 55 gallon with two over the side filters, one rated for 75 gallons and the other for 55 gallons and have never had any water quality issues.

I own a small aquarium maintenance business on the side and have kept everything from Mollies and Guppies, to Malawi Cichlids, to locally caught Panfish, Smallies, Catfish and Pike. Throw me a PM if any of you guys have questions!

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Great looking set-up! When we had the (~12") Pike in the 110-gallon, watching him feed was the best. Most times it would hit the feeders sideways, hold it for a few, then get it down head first.

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Good info right there on how they strike... :D Is the Passaic open water yet!?!?!??!

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Cool stuff G! Can we get you out on the ice buddy? Fishing goes 12 months a year here in DIRTY JERZEY!

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Tidal Passaic has lots of big ice chunks floating all over, Dundee Lake section is completely locked up. Drove over the section by Rt 280 heading to Hopatcong over the weekend and it was open but the shorelines had at least 3-4' of ice coming off the shorelines. Not sure what 2 Bridges looks like. You guys know what a open water kayak freak I am, but this ice fishing stuff has taken control of my brain lol. Very nice holdmeover til Spring. Can't get enough of it!!!

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Def one of these days!! Never really had interest in ice fishing. I feel safer strappin a board to my feet and flyin down the side of a mountain. :rolleyes:

ButI'm going insane lookin at all these awesome fish comin thru the ice!! If not this year, def next..........

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Yea...neither did I. Then I went a few times and pulled a 5 lb largemouth thru a hole no more than five minutes after Getanet did. Now I spend every spare minute I have at work and at home looking up ice fishing gear and techniques LOL...

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Plain old wooden tip ups work JUST FINE for me!!!
My daughter just bought a small tank and my son did also, BAD MOVE!
Soon there will be a BIG ONE just gotta figure out where the hell to put it.
Not many options in my house either, any where I could put it is either too close to a window or too drafty so not sure yet but getting the itch!