Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Sunfish ID

Redspotted sunfish?

I believe its a red breasted sunfish. cool looking fish.

Not sure what it is, but it's My-T-pretty

Put me down in the red-spotted camp.

Not sure. Here is one from the archives

ORANGE SPOTTED SUNFISH OSS
Lepomis humilis

Red Spotted Sunfish link

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=391


http://www.outdooralabama.com/redspotted-sunfish


http://txstate.fishesoftexas.org/lepomis%20miniatus.htm

Looks like a red spotted to me

Next question would it hurt to add a few to my pond? Be a pretty fish for the kids to
catch every now and then with the BG's

I don't know if I would do that. Red spots have been known to hybridize with BG. If such occurrences are rare, then perhaps no detrimental effects would be realized. On the other hand, what if it happens regularly in your pond, which becomes more likely when sourcing fish from the wild where you're not sure if you're collecting breeding pairs, or just the more colorful males during spawning.

Red spots don't normally grow too large, and there is also the potential for unwanted hitchhikers when collecting wild fish. If it were me, I wouldn't do it, better to take the kids somewhere different for a day of catching pretty fish. But it's your pond, and I understand the attraction.

IMO Sprk is right. I would put a couple in an aquarium and watch but skip the pond.