Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I went to a nearby stream to catch my starter fish, and caught 4 bluegill. One was caught and introduced about 2 weeks earlier than the other 3. Since adding the other 3, the first fish has been harassing the others mostly non-stop for the past 3 days. One fish already jumped himself out of the tank where I found it the next morning, the other 2 stay hidden behind my pump and will not eat and rarely move if not being rammed by the other.

I figure the problem lies with territory and moving them to a new tank at the same time might help to alleviate some of the dominance issues. The tank isn't that large either so I'm sure that doesn't help. I think, but am not sure, that the original fish s a hybrid bluegill and the other 2 remaining fish are a different type of sunfish, possibly green just from what I've read. Any ideas or thoughts?

Hmmm... you may be right with moving them all at the same time, but a lot of fish lose their territorial behaviour when more crowded than the other way around... but I have no idea about bluegill

I would think that if they are different species, and the bluegill is a more territorial fish, then your going to have problems anyway... just my thoughts

Well due to circumstances I wasn't able to move my fish. However, they've been going through some pretty high nitrite levels for a while, on top of not having any power for the last two days has left them with no oxygen. They are getting along fine now..maybe the trauma has brought them closer together

Or they are just too weak and stressed to care