Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Copper nose x Redear Hybrid

Anybody know what the results of a cross between Coppernose and redear would be? Reason I ask is that two male Redear have built nests about three feet from 8 or 10 Coppernose nests in my pond.
There's a possibility that a female Coppernose could lay eggs in one of these and the Redears would fertilize them. I have been unable to find any information other than it is possible.
I know that this is merely speculation and may not happen, but I would appreciate any info I could get.
Larry

In my area of northern Indiana, redears commonly hybrize with bluegills, although the bluegills are obviously not coppernose bluegill. It's more common in some natural lakes than others. The offspring are obvious as they do not have an all black operculer tip as it has some orange on the edge.

However I do not know if the offspring are F1's F2's or whatever.

These hybrids don't seem inferior in size to a bluegill.

A biologist tells me hybridization in the wild among some members of the sunfish family is quite common especially if prime bedding areas are limited.

Cecil

Cecil

Just curious:

Redear (shellcrackers) like to eat snails,crayfish ect(crustations). Have you noticed what food these hybrid redears prefer to eat? Are they more like redears or bluegill in their habits? Do they eat pellets (game fish chow)?

Thanks

Don Stuart

Cecil, thanks for the info.

Larry

Dick,

Not sure whether the hybrids eat snails, but I believe as a fish taxidermist I have skinned some of the hybrids out and they have the crusher teeth of the redears (shellcrackers).

I know regular bluegills will eat snails too as I have watched them do so in my pond. However, they do not have the crusher teeth that the shellcrackers have.

From all the literature I have read redears (shellcrackers) typically aren't interested in feed. However, I've read this about pumpkinseeds (Lepomis gibbosus) too, but know a fish farmer in Minnesota that has pumkinseeds feeding on feed.

Dick, Cecil,
I too have read that Redear will not eat pellets. But some of the Redears in my pond occasionally will come to the top and pick off a pellet or two. I don't know if they actually eat the pellets or if it is simply a reflex action. This is the Purina Game Fish feed that has different size pellets. My fish eat this better than the other brands that I have tried. My feed store ran out of the Purina a while back and I bought a bag of the local co-op brand. My fish wouldn't hardly eat it. Most of it ended up on the bottom and algae started forming on it.

I have also read that redears nest deeper than bluegill, but the two which prompted my post on this subject are nesting in about a foot of water. There is always an exception to every rule.

Larry

Coppernose bluegill x redear sunfish will yield an F1 hybrid. The offspring exhibit hybrid vigor and will also eat pelleted fish food. Commercial growers don't grow them because of two things..limited market, and handling problems. This hybrid is tough to handle.
They grow large, better than a pound, and exhibit the best qualities of both parent species.

Hey Bob,
Glad to see you back. I guess it will be a while before I know whether I actually get any hybrids from the Redear and Coppernose. But thanks for the info and stay tuned.

Larry

Glad to be back, will return again as soon as I can. Busy season is here, stealing time now to answer a few questions. Thanks for hanging in. It's good to see the activity on the board. You guys are great.
If you have hybrids, they will be easy to see. The gill flap ridge usually orange (redear) or black (bluegill), will likely be uncolored. And the sides of the fish will have distinctive markings, pocked stripes. Keep us posted.

Does the CopperNose/Redear hybrid handle the cold better then the pure Coppernose?

kevin

Well,
Well, here it is 5 years after I first posted this inquiry and my question has been answered. The Coppernose & Redear have indeed hybridized sometime in the past. The Redear sunfish are building nests now and among them is a CopperNose X Redear hybrid about 9" long with a white "ear" . I couldn't see the fish well enough to see the side markings, but the "ear" is definitely white and the body is chunky like the Coppernose.

Pictures???

I could take pictures of the fish on the nest, but I doubt that very much detail could be seen in a picture since the water is murky. I'll give it a shot next week and see what I can get.

CNBG and RES do cross just like BG and RES. BG and CNBG spawn together. I just watched all 3 in the same area. Will try for pics tomorrow. There are several pics of RES X BG here. Bruce posted one and there are a couple more.

I believe Theo has one as his screen saver.

RES X BG (could be CNBG based on location)