The sun bass is certainly an ornament for every garden pond. You can keep it there alone, in pairs or in company with other fish species. However, as a predatory fish it is not entirely unproblematic. It also makes special demands on the pond and its food. And because the animal is also extremely willing to reproduce, nothing works without "birth control". Here are a few tips:
Always keep only the common sunfish!
Not all sunfish are alike. There are now a number of species under the family name. Many of them are wonderfully suitable for a cold water aquarium, but not for the garden pond. For this, only the common sunfish, whose Latin name is Lepomis gibbosus, comes into question. So if you are thinking of putting a sunfish in the pond, you should definitely ask about this species in specialist shops. On the one hand it is extremely robust and on the other hand it belongs to the less aggressive species of perch.
Note: The sun bass gets along well with other fish species. Under no circumstances should it be kept in the pond with other perch species, as this would lead to territorial disputes.
It is best to keep the sun bass alone or with other fish species!
Sunfish are not necessarily sociable
Fish species. Therefore, they do not feel comfortable with other conspecifics even within a swarm. They would see them more as competition and a source of a lot of stress. It is therefore advisable to keep only one sunfish in a pond at a time. Keeping them in pairs is at least theoretically possible, but there is a risk of that the animals reproduce excessively and it is then very difficult to control the population gets. Birth control is best done by making mating impossible from the start. Although the sun bass, like all perch, is a predatory fish, it gets along relatively well with other fish species. It is possible, however, that he will eat their spawn in the water.Note: The combination of koi with a sunfish has proven to be particularly successful. The koi in particular benefit from this, as Lepomis gibbosus reliably eats vermin that could be dangerous to them.
Correct pond depth & suitable pond equipment
Hardly any garden owner will create a pond especially for a sunfish. Rather, the pond will already exist and be stocked with other fish species. Whether Lepomis gibbosus feels comfortable in it depends
- Pond depth of at least 70 cm
- several shallow spots with a maximum depth of 20 cm
- sandy soil as possible
- Hiding places like stones or roots
- large, robust plants with lush foliage
- enough free space for swimming
- clear water that is as cold as possible
Since the sun bass likes it fresh despite its name, a pond location that is continuously irradiated by the sun is not recommended. This would cause the water to heat up quickly and excessively, especially in summer. Under certain circumstances, however, bank planting with lush and shady grasses and shrubs can be helpful in such a case.
Keep an eye on the water quality!
Sunfish are extremely sensitive to changes. This is especially true of the milieu in which they live. As a result, they cannot cope well with changes in water quality. It is therefore essential to ensure that the quality of the water always remains constant. It is especially important
- that the water is clean and as free as possible from pollution,
- that it is well ventilated, especially in summer,
- and that the pH is always greater than 7.0.
Note: During the warm summer months, the sun bass's need for oxygen increases enormously. As a rule, this can only be covered if oxygen is supplied by means of a pump.
It is essential to feed properly!
It cannot be said often enough: perch are predatory fish. Of course, this also applies to the sunfish. As a result, he prefers living food above all. It should therefore mainly be fed live food. The following have proven to be ideal:
- Mosquito larvae
- Water fleas
- Tubifexe
- worms
- To fly
- Water snails
Live food can in part be purchased from specialist retailers. The feed is given directly into the pond water. Possible
it is also to feed frozen food, which is usually easier to administer. Dry food, on the other hand, should remain the absolute exception. The sun perch will also use animal feed, which automatically settles in the pond. The leaves of the plants are not safe from him either. If it is kept with other fish species, their spawn is definitely one of its prey.Always approach the pond very carefully!
Sunfish are downright terrifying animals. They often react in panic to unforeseen, surprising events. They then run away and hide. This means a lot of stress for the animals every time. You should therefore always approach the garden pond very carefully and quietly. Only then do you have the guarantee of seeing such a magnificent animal.
Proper wintering!
Lepomis gibbosus can in principle remain in the pond during the winter months. However, it must have the necessary depth for this. The minimum is 70 cm, but a depth of around 1 m is better. In addition, the pond must not completely freeze over. A closed ice cover prevents the entry of oxygen. If necessary, you have to hit the ice cover regularly, even if that in turn means to scare the sun bass. On the other hand, you can safely do without feeding during the winter. The animals reduce their metabolism so drastically that they do not need any additional food.
alternative
Alternatively, the sun perch can also be moved to a cold water aquarium during the cold season. Since Lepomis gibbosus has its problems with changes, as already mentioned, this is not a completely harmless undertaking. It is always better to leave it in place and to ensure that the pond surface is permanently open. It is also cheaper.
