Origin: Warmouth are found throughout large parts of eastern North America in slower moving streams, wetlands, oxbows, and natural lakes. They prefer calm waters with lots of cover in the form of aquatic vegetation, logs, and brush piles. They are usually absent from fast moving rocky streams and rivers.

Coloration: They have a unique color pattern that can be highly variable and change quickly to blend in with their surroundings. They have a dark base color with specks of gold, orange, yellow or black. Fins can be outlined with a thin edge of white, orange or even red on some individuals. Males have a red/orange spot at the rear base of the soft dorsal fin.

Tank Size: They are great fish for larger aquariums or water gardens. They can also work as a single fish in a smaller tank. They are less territorial than most sunfish but have a big appetite with their oversized mouth allowing them to consume smaller tank mates, so choose similar sized fish. A single individual could be kept in a 20 gallon aquarium with good filtration. Consider a 55 gallon tank or larger for a group of 4 or more individuals. They enjoy a well decorated aquarium with lots of cover in the form of rocks, driftwood, or live plants.

Feeding: This is a naturally very secretive fish in nature but adapt quickly in captivity to beg for food like other sunfish. They are not picky eaters and will take a wide variety of high protein pellets or frozen foods such as blood worms, mysis shrimp, or krill. This is a species that can be fed live feeder fish, but it is not required.

Water Conditions: Cold hardy so can winter over outdoors in a water garden. Can handle temp of 34-85 F. Spawn at 75-80 F. PH of 7-8.5.

Origin: This particular strain of Longear Sunfish originates from the western part of the Ozarks in the Missouri and Arkansas River basins. They are most often found in clear rivers and streams. Longear Sunfish as a whole have a much larger distribution from the western slope of the Appalachian Mountains south westward to the northeast edge of Mexico.

Coloration: Ozark Longear Sunfish are in our opinion the most attractive looking sunfish, and our favorite fish! The colors of adult males rival any tropical, or marine fish with the most distinctive character of this strain being the red/orange stripe down the nape (middle of head/forehead area). Large males are covered in bright red/orange and blue speckling, particularly on the sides of the face where the colors form alternating lines. Even the females have nice coloration only a little less intense.

Tank Size: They are great fish for larger aquariums or water gardens. They can also work as a single fish in a smaller tank. They are territorial so if kept in groups we recommend 6 or more individuals in a 55 gallon or larger aquarium with good filtration. Making your aquarium more complex with lots of cover in the form of rocks, driftwood, or durable live plants helps break up lines of sight for separate territories for each individual fish in the tank.

Feeding: Like most sunfish they are very personable and quickly learn to beg for food. They are not picky eaters and will take a wide variety of high protein pellets, or frozen foods such as blood worms, mysis shrimp, or krill.

Water Conditions: Cold hardy so can winter over outdoors in a water garden. Can handle temp of 34-85 F. Spawn at 75-80 F. PH of 7-8.5.

Origin: Found on the coastal plain from the Carolinas, throughout Florida and along the Gulf Coast west to southern Alabama and Mississippi. I originally caught my stock in Florida and have been line breeding these for over 5 years now. I have added a few additional wild caught melanistic males to my breeding group since the original capture. At this point the majority of the males produced in this line are melanistic, probably better than 90% of the males produced. I continue to remove any normal gray males produced from my population. I recently found the first melanistic female! This is incredibly rare I have never seen one in the wild! Hopefully, with continued effort I will see even more of these rare females. Sorry, this fish is not for sale, I hope to get some young from her and use them to continue my line.

Coloration: These are normally a small gray fish with a few tiny black spots on the fins. The melanistic trait appears in the wild population on a small percentage of males giving them the dalmatian look of random black blotches and spots over a white or even translucent background. Females are a plain gray with the black spots in rows on the fins.

Tank Size: They don't need a lot of space even a 10 gallon tank is suitable for a small group. They do eat their fry so they are not a great livebearer for colony breeding. I like to use a layer of the floating plant hornwort, also known as coontail (this can be rooted but does fine just floating on the surface), and check the tank for fry hiding among this daily. This helps a lot with getting some young to survive. Bigger the tank and more hiding places the less of a need to remove the fry there is, you will get some survival with a dense layer of plants in a bigger (40 breeder or so) tank. I like to use smaller tank (20 long in winter) and then just remove the young when I find them.

Feeding: Not picky will feed well on flake food. I also feed mine some frozen baby brine shrimp and blood worms but this may not be necessary.

Water Conditions: Not Cold hardy in northern states like their close relative the Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis but can be kept outdoors in the southern US. Probably handles temps down in the 40’s just can’t handle ice. Do well outdoors in water garden ponds or even a tub on a porch in summer further north. Do not need to be heated indoors but I have found they produce more young in a heated aquarium kept at 75-80 F. PH of 6.5-8.5.

Origin: Native to broad areas of the upper Midwest in both the Great Lakes, Ohio, and Mississippi River basins. Found in small clear and cool headwater streams. Spawn on the nests of larger minnow species, usually Creek Chub.

Coloration: Small nearly terminal mouth. Two dark stripes on sides, separated by a wide gold band inbetween them. Also has a row of small dark blotches down the ridge of their back. The fins are transparent in young and non-breeding adults. Breeding adults have bright lemon-yellow fins. Both males and females have bright red bellies when breeding but it is more intense on males. This red color can come and go on the fish in a matter of minutes. They often color up in the morning, when fed, or soon after water changes. Males have slightly longer pectoral fins.

Tank Size: Southern Redbelly Dace are active fish that enjoy some flow and are peaceful community fish. Good jumpers so keep tank well covered. These are often found in very small headwater streams in the wild so a small group could be kept in a 10 tank but would be more comfortable in a 20 gallon long. They also do well in larger community aquariums.

Feeding: Easy to care for and will feed on basic tropical flake food but diet should include frozen foods such as frozen blood worms, mysis shrimp, and brine shrimp to help vary their diet. This species feeds on some algae in nature so adding some vegetable matter in the form of finely chopped frozen peas or fresh zucchini is a good idea for this species.

Water Conditions: Cold hardy so can winter over outdoors in a water garden, not as heat tolerant so may not do well outdoors in very warm conditions. Can handle temp of 34-78 F. Spawn at 55-65 F. PH of 7-8.5.

Origin: Native to the Great Lakes, upper Ohio, and upper Mississippi River basins. Found in small clear and cool headwater streams. Spawn on the nests of larger minnow species, usually Creek Chub.

Coloration: Large upturned mouth with a gold stripe down upper side. Dark olive green back with bright crimson red sides below the gold stripe.

Tank Size: Redside Dace are active fish that enjoy some flow. Hold color very well in captivity and are peaceful community fish. Good jumpers so keep tank well covered. In nature they will actually jump out of the water to grab flying insects. A small group could be kept in a 20 gallon long but do well in larger community aquariums.

Feeding: Easy to care for and will feed on basic tropical flake food but diet should include frozen foods such as frozen blood worms, mysis shrimp, and brine shrimp to help vary their diet.

Water Conditions: Cold hardy so can winter over outdoors in a water garden, not as heat tolerant so may not do well outdoors in very warm conditions. Can handle temp of 34-78 F. Spawn at 55-65 F. PH of 7-8.5.

Origin: Native to broad areas of the upper Midwest in both the Great Lakes, Ohio, and Mississippi River basins. Found in wide variety of stream sizes from small headwater streams to large rivers. Live in swift rocky riffle areas of those flowing streams. Bury their eggs in loose gravel when spawning.

Coloration: Small bottom dwelling fish that lacks a well-developed air bladder so it hops around on the bottom of the tank. Alternating blue and red vertical bars on the side of the males. Males also have blue and red bands in both dorsal fins. Anal fin of male blue with red in the center. Females more plain mostly brown in color with dark bars on sides. Some females will have a little bit of blue or red coloration in the fins.

Tank Size: Rainbow Darters are naturally found in rocky flowing areas of a stream so good water movement is a plus. These are a peaceful community fish. They do not need a lot of space but since they spend most of their time sitting on the bottom hopping from place to place more horizontal space is appreciated rather than a tall tank. A small group could be kept in a 10 tank but would be more comfortable in a 20 gallon long. They also do well in larger community aquariums.

Feeding: Do not typically learn to take flake food but do well on a variety of frozen foods. Good choices are frozen blood worms, mysis shrimp, and brine shrimp to help vary their diet.

Water Conditions: Cold hardy so can winter over outdoors in a water garden, not as heat tolerant so may not do well outdoors in very warm conditions. Can handle temp of 34-78 F. Spawn at 55-65 F. PH of 7-8.5.