Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Sunfish ID

There is a lot of ID related images here but not at the size I find most challenging. It is the little guys in the 1" to 2" range that provide loads of fun. I will try to make a series of picks using known specimens. Over winter we will be having some 4H kids breed sunfish (Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Warmmouth, an Redear) so they can rear fingerlings for their projects. It will take a while but should be able to come up with good reference pictures.

Yes and a very difficult job it will be but the results will be worth the effort.

I think I can contribute some GSF fry id pictures. Got 15 in a tank now just tell me how they could best be photographed.

How small can you go? I have some Warmouth I think can go down to just under an inch.

I have some late season RES in the pond that are currently just under 1". Any suggestions on taking photos.

IMO, Guys have posted some of the best pics of little SF by placing them in jars of water. One guy put them in a wine glass and that came out great.

Shallow water on side with a consistently light or dark background. Do not want distortion that get relative size of parts out of wack.

I'll do that Jim. It might take a few days though because I'm away from the house. I have a few small ones around an inch. Can always catch more in the pond.

Have not tried this shorty but how about a zip lock sandwich bag with small amount of water laid on side?

Somehow need a thin column of water and a flat surface to photo against. A super thin tiny aquarium maybe.

My first attempt at photographing the fry. Placed them in a Styrofoam bowl with a little water in it. I put a bit too much water in because the smaller fry could straighten out. 90% sure these fish are GSF. Some are starting to show HBG traits but I didn't include them in the photo.

Probably my last attempt this year, it is set to cool down quite a bit after today. One short shallow pass with the seine net, the dime is 11/16" in diameter for size reference. All Redears.

It is interesting that inch long RES have vertical bars that make them very hard to distinguish from BG fry. But once they get a little bigger they mostly loose the bars.

Also consider base color of fins and actual parts associated with mouth. Color can vary with back ground fish are on for more than a few seconds as they sometimes attempt to match it, within limits. Some species have different slopes leading to mouth or differences in the pre-maxillae.

Stunted Warmouth with parasite issue.

I don't recall ever seeing a stunted warmouth before. Was the BOW you got it from full of stunted WM or do you think it was caused by the parasite?

I do not know. Only fish in pond are Warmouth. None are bigger than 5" even though 5 years old. Forage base in the form of insects appears lean.

Give me a couple weeks and I will have that guy and about a dozen others fed back up to look like typical Warmouth. A couple weeks more and they will have characteristics of fast growing fish.

Currently they are being started in live brine shrimp to train them up. Then I will pop them with pellets to pack on weight.