Re: NANFA-- first native tank, pumpkinseeds

Bruce Stallsmith (fundulus_at_hotmail.com)
Sat, 20 Apr 2002 12:31:13 -0400

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You'll find that pumpkinseeds are fairly feisty and aggressive, certainly
compared to bluegills. But they're pretty fish and will take a range of
foods once they acclimate. Spy Pond would be a good place to collect since
if I remember correctly it's a swimming-legal pond and the local
constabulary are less likely to question you if you're in the pond with a
net. And, pumpkinseeds should be present. I say the above about police based
on my experiences at Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain, which is heavily
patrolled by the MDC and Boston Police. Even if you have a valid collecting
permit the police are heavily programmed to chase people out of the water.

So, I would say go easy with a first group of pumpkinseeds. Either start
with a larger group of small ones or stick to a group of 3-4 larger ones.
They would certainly enjoy earthworms and you wouldn't have to fool around
with cutting up the worms with adults. Pumpkinseeds are surprisingly
wide-ranging in their food tastes; one thing they love is snails, since they
have well-developed pharyngeal (jaw) teeth that are modified for crushing
mollusks.

Should you plant the tank? Yes, they like to hide out. As to sand, whatever
you like they'll like.

--Bruce Stallsmith
Huntsville, AL, US of A

>From: Paul Cezanne <oblique_at_alum.mit.edu>
>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>Subject: NANFA-- first native tank, pumpkinseeds
>Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 11:40:35 -0400
>
>I'm about to start on my first native species tank. It is very important
>to me to collect my first species, this is part of the joy of it for my
>wife and I.
>
>We live in Eastern Massachusetts, right outside Boston. From reading the
>Peterson's Field Guide and David Schleser's book (and speaking with him at
>the NEC conference a week ago) we've decided that we would like to collect
>and keep pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus )as our first first.
>
>The seem to be available in this area and from what I've read are a decent
>species to keep.
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