Giant fish tank ? What type of fish

[Trevor]

I just bought a 90gallon fish tank for 50 bucks I was thinking about putting some bluegill mabey some crappie and possibly one or two shovelnose sturgeon I can catch in the river on worms and bring home what are your thoughts?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ive raised bluegill in tanks before. I dont hiutnk id bother with the rest, as I like a single species biotope.

Use native plants and get a powered bio-filter. You wont regret it.

[Trevor]

Thanks for the tip

[Keith Owen]

Trevor,

Not sure they are native to IL or not, but the Orange Spotted Sunfish is an excellent tank fish. Not as aggressive as a Bluegill (i.e. won't eat each other as much) and their max growth size is about four inches. I have a thirty gallon with three females and two males that has been doing well for years. Unlike Long-ear Sunfish, the OSSs keep their bright colors at normal tank temps.

I used a micro-light rod and a 1/128oz jig tipped with a tiny piece of worm to catch them around rocks and rip-rap.

Most wild caught fish will have parasites (you may know all this, so pardon the info if you don't need it). Anchor worm is the most frequent and can be tough on the fish. I would either stock your tank and then treat the whole thing or put together a quarantine tank to treat any new stock to your tank. The meds for anchor worm will kill any invertebrates you might have in the tank (snails, crayfish, etc). I recommend the quarantine tank method.

I have a picture of one of my male fish on my page if you would like to take a look.

Best Fishes,

Keith

[Trevor]

Thanks I may try that