At the aquarian in Chattanooga, all RES have washed out color. Seems I've seen RES in a BassPro aquarian and it was pale and without out enough color to readily idenify it. Staffer said they lacked color from the commercial food vs a wild diet. Not sure how credible the guy was. Also, that part of the aquarian didn't get sunlight.
Female at 6". Blackbirds get their brillant red wings once bugs reappear in the springtime.
Now to brag on my 'El Gordo' a RES I kept for 18month in a 150 gal rubbermaid. He arrived just short of 4" from an outfit named 'Jonah's Aquariams.' Don't know if they're still around. He grew to weight over a lb. (only quick weighed him to avoid stress) and 11 inches.
Please, somebody research RES as the leading and sole predator of a pond! I've wanted a RES pond for years but have had rock and financial setbacks.
1) RES grows larger than Bluegill, 2) RES & BG food niche overlaps,(?growth rate w/out BG)(*inferred from Sm Impoundment Mgt) 3) RES are much less prone to overpopulate, 4) a RES only pond eliminates an inefficient layer of predatorship* *Inefficient of you consider harvested pounds.
Outstanding if you only have a minipond. The lack of a top (LargeMouth Bass) predator should make the pond 5X's more productive. How about the RES being a keen substitute for crappie in small ponds? (I'll get that pond someday, may have to buy $5000 rubber liner.)
Both the female( who died at 6 months) and male had brillant orange/red flap; the female not as bright but as bright as 1 of the pics we're talking about being male.
