About 7 months ago, I caught 3 bluegill that were about 1 inch long and put them in my 20 gallon fish tank with my musk turtle. They have been happily living there ever since, but one of the bluegill is growing faster than the other two , and is starting to outgrow the tank. What should I do? Can 3 bluegill live permenantly in a 20 gallon?
Once the native fish have been kept in an aquarium, the microflora and microfauna inside and on the fish changes. They could carry back aquarium disease organisms that they have had time to develop a resistance to, but the fish in the pond would not have that chance.
I'd think you'd need a tank like my 150 gallon tank to permanently keep three bluegills. I grew one up to eleven plus inches in a 50 gallon breeder tank, and he looked a little crowded.
Have you checked where you live? Sometimes it is illegal to catch and keep fish as pets. In fact in a lot of places it is.
If you put them back they could spread disease, which is another reason releasing aquarium fish into the wild is never a good idea.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Honestly you should just get a bigger tank. But check, if its illegal to own them where you live you could be putting yourself in danger.
You should either release them to the wild or if possible upgrade to a larger tank is what i would suggest. I had 3 large mouth bass in a fish tank and they are so cool to watch! but no, i beleive they will soon outgrow that tank. id suggest a 55 gallon tank.
