500 Gallon Native Tank

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

I wanted to know if you got any perch yet and if you think when the largemouth bass gets bigger if he will eat them or not because I would really like to add some to my tank.

Perch are out of season because its too hot, so I wont be getting any.

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

For some reason they take dried krill more readily verse pellets. I have a feeling that it has to do with flavor and scent. Getting them on krill conditions them to taking dried foods such as pellets. Same thing with my wild cichla, they are another stubborn fish to get off of lives and this has always worked for me. I got my large mouth on krill 2 days after being acclimated to the tank and the 3rd day I got him on pellets after taking the krill readily. To be honest, it was was easier than I though it was going to be. I did not think he was going to be so excepting. My striper was stubborn and kept going up to an refusing the pellets but I placed a food stick inside/in between the krill and after eating 3 of those he started to take the hikari jumbo food stick on her own.

I guess I'll have to give it a try next time I'm at the fish store

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

Woke up this morning, the drum and sauger are still alive, the drum is all over the place sifting thru the gravel and the sauger is here and there, even if he isnt active, he is still awesome

 

[NCStateFisher]

^^^ he's right, when we did native tanks when I was a kid (obviously smaller tanks but same concept applies) we would keep a big feeder goldfish in with our bream and the bream would watch the goldfish each the freeze dried shrimp and usually within a day or two they would figure it out. With the bream you can also just toss em some worms for a couple days then switch to a small sinking pellet and they usually aren't real picky. I also figure your catfish would take to massivore just based off of the smell. One of my bluegills and my white perch are already taking pellets, still trying to get the small yellow perch to start eating but I feel like he's gonna end up being a largemouth snack honestly

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

^^^ he's right, when we did native tanks when I was a kid (obviously smaller tanks but same concept applies) we would keep a big feeder goldfish in with our bream and the bream would watch the goldfish each the freeze dried shrimp and usually within a day or two they would figure it out. With the bream you can also just toss em some worms for a couple days then switch to a small sinking pellet and they usually aren't real picky. I also figure your catfish would take to massivore just based off of the smell. One of my bluegills and my white perch are already taking pellets, still trying to get the small yellow perch to start eating but I feel like he's gonna end up being a largemouth snack honestly

Will try this soon. I need to get the ich cured first. I raised the temps to 82 last night, should be there by the time I get home, then I will treat them.

 

[NCStateFisher]

for sure get that fixed.. ich is the main reason ill have to go catch feeders for the bass instead of just being able to buy em, but better a healthy fish and tougher to get him food than an ich fish that isn't healthy and happy.

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

for sure get that fixed.. ich is the main reason ill have to go catch feeders for the bass instead of just being able to buy em, but better a healthy fish and tougher to get him food than an ich fish that isn't healthy and happy.

I dont know why Im always getting it. I havent bought them any store bought feeders. I started out with the temps really low to match the outside water and gradually raised the temps to coincide with the outside water temps. Now I see the scratching themselves on the wood. Its just the longears and bass right now. Its not too bad yet. I will add some meds tonight but be very cautious with it.

 

[NCStateFisher]

if you didn't fully drain the tank from your previous cichlids it was probably just some dormant parasites, sticking natives in a tank is incredibly stressful on them no matter how you go about it. just dump in a huge thing of salt stick ur temp at 84 and let it heal up naturally, id hate to see you lose any fish to the crap medications they sell

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

It wad drained as much as possible, there was some left over water. So you dont think I should add any meds?

 

[NCStateFisher]

Meds ended up killing my pet bass when I was a kid... I would honestly stick to temp and salt i've yet to lose a fish with it and I don't see natives being any different