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Originally Posted By: Pat Williamson
I be a him

Pat W


Gender can be a tricky thing to determine except when nesting.

I learned that on PBF! wink grin laugh laugh


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Snrub, just to add to your information.

HABITAT SUITABILITY INDEX MODELS AND INSTREAM FLOW SUITABILITY CURVES: REDEAR SUNFISH 1984 - FWS

Quote:
Redear sunfish display great variation in spawning season. Within most of their range, redear sunfish usually begin to spawn in May to June, and may continue to spawn until September (Schoffman 1939; Dineen 1968; Pflieger 1975). Redear may spawn sparingly during the summer and heavily in the early fall (Swingle 1949). In Florida redear sunfish begin to spawn in late February or early March and continue to spawn intermittently until October 1 (Clugston 1966). In the northern reaches of their distribution (Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana), nesting begins in May to July and generally does not extend into late summer (Krumholz 1950; Cole 1951; Childers 1967).

The eggs are laid in saucer-shaped nests, fanned free of debris (Gresham 1965; Wilbur 1969). Redear tend to be community spawners, often with nests only a few inches from each other (McCl ane 1955; Clugston 1966; Emi g 1966; Pflieger 1975). Nests have been found at water depths from approximately 5 to 10 cm (Swingle and Smith 1947; Gresham 1965; Emig 1966) to 4 to 6 m (Wilbur 1969). Gresham (1965) and Clugston (1966) reported that nests were usually at water depths of 45 to 90 cm. McClane (1955) reported that spawning most often occurred at depths of 91 to 122 cm in the St. Johns River; Swingle and Smith (1947) reported that nests in ponds were most often at water depths of at least 183 cm.


Quote:
Redear sunfish grew faster and reproduced more abundantly in average turbidities of s 25 ppm (Buck 1956b). Although redear sunfish were reported to reproduce and young redear were recovered in a pond with a high turbidity (174 ppm) in one study, the critical level for successful reproduction and growth over time is probably between 75 and 100 ppm (Buck 1956b). Although redear prefer clear waters, redear sunfish seem to be more tolerant of turbidity than bass or bluegills (Buck 1956b; Smith 1979).


Quote:
Adult. The best growth for redear was reported to occur at temperatures \of 23.9° C by Rounsefell and Everhart (1953), but Leidy and Jenkins (1977) reported the optimum or preferred temperature for growth of bluegill s , sma11mouth bass, and largemouth bass to be 27° C. At acclimation temperatures of 16° C, 21° C, and 26° C the redear sunfish selected temperatures at 22° C, 23° C, and 28° C, respectively (Hill et al. 1975). From this information the author assumes optimal temperatures for redear growth range from 24 to 27° C. Cole (1951) reported that bacterial fin rot and fungus attacked redear sunfish almost continuously in aquaria once temperatures fall below 14.4° C. Below 6.6° C, redear were inactive and did not feed. It is assumed that redear growth ceases when temperatures fall below 10° C, as is true for bluegills (Anderson 1958). A lower lethal temperature of 6.5° C was determined in reservoirs by Leidy and Jenkins (1977). Redear sunfish are susceptible to rapid temperature changes (Swingle 1949; Rounsefell and Everhart 1953).



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Note the important temperature related information from the above study are these notes:
C. Cole (1951) reported that bacterial fin rot and fungus attacked redear sunfish almost continuously in aquaria once temperatures fall below 58F(14.4°C). Below 44F(6.6°C), redear were inactive and did not feed. It is assumed that redear growth ceases when temperatures fall below 50F(10°C), as is true for bluegills (Anderson 1958). A lower lethal temperature of 43.7F(6.5°C) was determined in reservoirs by Leidy and Jenkins (1977). Redear sunfish are susceptible to rapid temperature changes (Swingle 1949; Rounsefell and Everhart 1953).


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Temperature information on RES was what I was looking for in my search when I ran across this article. A thread over on Big Bluegill about ice fishing for RES does come up at the top of the list when you Google " redear sunfish 39 degrees ". grin I wonder if RES caught through the ice will likely end up with a fungal infection if they are released. (I'm Thinking about the RES TJ recently caught.)

The other topics I found interesting were "salinity", "turbidity", "reproduction", and the aquatic "vegetation" notes.

Quote:
Redear adults typically occur in deeper, open waters and only move shoreward to spawn (Chable 1947; Cole 1951; McClane 1955; Lopinot 1961; Wilbur 1969), although Wilbur (1969) reported that greater densities of redear occurred in the peripheral deep water areas near submergent vegetation. Wilbur (1969) concluded that, except during spawning season, emergent vegetation was of lesser importance to redear than open water areas.


Based on my aquarium observations I suspect that RES are much more light sensitive than other sunfish and this is the primary reason that they stay deep during day. Like clockwork my aquarium RES move up in the water column once the light goes out every night. Water clarity/turbidity likely plays a significant role in how deep they typically reside during the day. I suspect that RES move up shallow to feed every night once the sun goes down. If I am right there should be very significant differences in the capture rates of RES by electroshocking during the day vs. electroshocking after sunset.




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Originally Posted By: Shorty
I suspect that RES move up shallow to feed every night once the sun goes down. If I am right there should be very significant differences in the capture rates of RES by electroshocking during the day vs. electroshocking after sunset.


The ones I have caught in shallow water were around sunset or at least when the sun was very low in the sky and the lighting was getting subdued.

Your observation would seem to make sense in relation to snails. I don't know how many snails reside deep, but the high numbers I have seen are along the shore line on the fresh algae on the rocks or plants. It would seem the RES would want to move up into this shallow water at some time during the day to take advantage of these snails.

I do know the snails move deeper and under the rocks more than on top of them as the water cools, but my visible snail population is way down this fall compared to what it was last fall when I added an additional 125 3" RES to my main pond. The ones of those fish I have caught are in the 6-7" range now and I think they have worked on the snails a bunch this year.

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"C. Cole (1951) reported that bacterial fin rot and fungus attacked redear sunfish almost continuously in aquaria once temperatures fall below 58F(14.4°C)."

When this happened in my RAS system it was mostly a result from netting fish to look at them.



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Who wants to do a tracking study on RES ? That would sure provide a lot of info.
















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A tracking study of RES is a very good idea. Too bad RES do not survive in the South Dakota region. The Pond Boss family could take up a special collection to help fund the RES tracking study at SDSUniv. Do fishery biologists do tracking studies of any species in the sunfish family or are the fish too small for inserting the tracking devices? ewest - any tracking studies published for any of the sunfishes?

Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/24/14 02:21 PM.

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I will check. Only ones I have seen from the sunfish family are the Bass and Crappie. I have not seen one on BG or RES.
















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The audacity of questioning the desirability of RES in a pond

Someone can actually question the need or desire to have such a noble fish in their pond????? grin

(sarcastic humor attempted but not guaranteed successful in this post)

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Given the nitche that they fill, and how that they are not a "mainstream" fish to people that aren't really familiar with pond fish, I think it's a valid question.


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Anyone reading the unknown facts about RES might just decide they made a mistake of stocking them! eek


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Originally Posted By: Shorty
Snrub, did you know that RES love to eat common black crickets and spotted camel (brown) crickets?

On a food preference list I would rank crickets higher than bloodworms as a prefered food item. wink


I bought some Gulp Alive fake crickets. Got to give them a try!


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Couple of small RES I caught recently.

I figured out why sometimes the orange/red on the opercular tab does not show up very well in my pictures. While holding the fish what I observed is that as the fish breathes and moves its gill cover, as it expands the opercular tab pushes away from the fish body, the orange tab slumps, and no longer being against the fish body does not show up well in the picture.

Many times I have caught a RES, it is obviously a RES, I take the picture, then at some later time I look at the picture on a larger computer screen and it shows up hardly at all or faintly.

Both of these fish had a very distinct, solid, orange border on the end of the opercular tab. The first picture shows up "ok" but the second fish hardly at all. But it was there. Not a translucent tab like on a GSF, but solid like RES.

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Old thread on RES trophy pond I wish the guy would come back and update.

RES trophy pond


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Originally Posted By: Shorty
Snrub, did you know that RES love to eat common black crickets and spotted camel (brown) crickets?

On a food preference list I would rank crickets higher than bloodworms as a prefered food item. wink


I have had some luck recently with the Gulp Alive artificial crickets.


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Something I have noticed but never knew why was that RES appear to have two different "looks" associated with pictures I have seen posted.

This USGS description might explain it. It says there are two different unnamed subspecies of RES. I had not known that.

USGS info on RES


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Originally Posted By: Shorty
Temperature information on RES was what I was looking for in my search when I ran across this article. A thread over on Big Bluegill about ice fishing for RES does come up at the top of the list when you Google " redear sunfish 39 degrees ". grin I wonder if RES caught through the ice will likely end up with a fungal infection if they are released. (I'm Thinking about the RES TJ recently caught.)

The other topics I found interesting were "salinity", "turbidity", "reproduction", and the aquatic "vegetation" notes.

Quote:
Redear adults typically occur in deeper, open waters and only move shoreward to spawn (Chable 1947; Cole 1951; McClane 1955; Lopinot 1961; Wilbur 1969), although Wilbur (1969) reported that greater densities of redear occurred in the peripheral deep water areas near submergent vegetation. Wilbur (1969) concluded that, except during spawning season, emergent vegetation was of lesser importance to redear than open water areas.


Based on my aquarium observations I suspect that RES are much more light sensitive than other sunfish and this is the primary reason that they stay deep during day. Like clockwork my aquarium RES move up in the water column once the light goes out every night. Water clarity/turbidity likely plays a significant role in how deep they typically reside during the day. I suspect that RES move up shallow to feed every night once the sun goes down. If I am right there should be very significant differences in the capture rates of RES by electroshocking during the day vs. electroshocking after sunset.



If I want to get my best rate of catch for fingerlings with my cast net in my forage pond, I throw it very near shore just before or slightly after sunset before dark. I will get a few out in deeper water, but near shore is best. Mid day bright sunshine and warm water I will be lucky to get one fingerling per cast.


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