Keeping Rock Bass?

[just3542]

I've had my rock bass for 5 years or so now (look at avatar). I caught it as a little two inch juvenile and kept him in a 29g with some other natives including a longear sunfish. For food he initially ate things like blood worms, beef heart and bits of worms and things. I eventually got him taking pellets but he would only take softer pellets at first, like HBH Super Soft. Eventually I got him to take regular cichlid pellets.
He has had a number of tank mates over the years ranging from native sunfish to convicts and severums and has never been particularly aggressive but can hold his own. Currently he lives in a 75g with other sunnies including a green and they all get along fine. He does fine at room temp and enjoys having cover such as driftwood. He is about 8" in length.
He is one of my favorite fish, tons of personality, hardy and pretty to look at. They're worth giving a try, good luck if you get one.

Thanks for the information also! I have been trying to catch one, without much luck. But, if I do get one, I can now rest assured that the two of them will get along fine.

 

[sandtiger]

Well just because mine get along doesn't mean yours will, just that it can work in the right circumstances. My green in a female, if yours is a particularly aggressive male, that could change everything. I'm not trying to discourage you, just letting you know it can be hit or miss when mixing these fishes.

 

[Noto]

My guy is in a tank with various sunnies. I have not seen the sunnies try to bully him the way they do each other, but again it might be different in your situation. It may help to rearrange the tank decor right before you add him to the tank; that way the sunfish doesn't have an established territory to defend.

 

[bjbass]

My guy is extremely aggressive. He owns an entire half of the tank (210). I have a smallmouth bass that owns the tank, but I am pretty sure Balboa (rock bass) really owns it. Here he is a few months ago.

 

[just3542]

Thanks for the info again. I rearranged my decor, which is actually necessary because I have to move a channel cat in there too. Will this work? I have a spot for the cat to hide when I move him, and the Green is too small to swallow him. Will the Rock Bass most likely try to get at him if I get one?

 

[Noto]

You never know until you try. I'd say in that tank the rock bass is likely to be the least aggressive.

 

[Owain4]

I've been thinking of trying to get a rock bass (or two), for a 125 with 3 yellow perch and various minnows, im pretty sure they would eat minnows but have you guys been able to keep any minnows alive with them?

 

[Noto]

If the minnows are small enough to be eaten, they will be eaten. Some minnows get too big for even a large rock bass to eat, including golden, common, and striped shiners, fallfish, stonerollers, and creek, river, and hornyhead chubs among others. Try those if you want some cyprinid presence in your tank.

 

[pbass510]

umm...i never had a rock bass but a large mouth and it did pretty good until my pacu ate him a few years ago

 

[MFISHGURU]

mine was aggressive...... i had two rock bass in a 55g..... prob were two males