Hardware

• 30 gallon tank
• Magnum H.O.T. canister filter with BioWheel
• Lighted hood
• Assorted rocks, driftwood and artificial plants

Livestock

• One Bluegill (photo)

Plants

• None

Comments

One unusually nice day in October 2004, my wife told me that I ought to get out and enjoy good weather. She neglected to tell me that I should not take a net and a jar along. You'd think that by now she would know better! I ended up at one of the drainage ponds in the neighborhood, which, despite its general rank stench and stagnant water, hosts all kinds of things... frogs, turtles, snakes, muskrats, an occasional heron or egret, and yes, fish. I was doomed from the outset.

I swept my net along the murky bottom several times. Every time, I came up with two or three fish, which I later determined were Bluegills. Soon, I had a bunch in my one gallon jar, and I brought them home. Within an hour I realized that this maybe wasn't such a swell idea - surely I didn't need more fish to take care of! But, I decided, it might be interesting, and I wasn't too busy.

I had a spare 30 gallon tank sitting empty, as well as assorted filters, gravel, rocks and driftwood. So, I got that set up in a spare corner of my office/living room, and carefully acclimated the fish to the new water conditions. They've been doing very well ever since, and are very entertaining to watch.

Update, August 2005 - They've overall done a little too well, perhaps. There were some early losses with jumpers, but overall the bluegills did really well. They grew fast, and soon took to fighting. Despite loading the tank with lots of plastic plants, driftwood, rocks and flowerpots to hide in, several more managed to get themselves killed by their tankmates. As they continued to grow, it became clear that a 30 gallon tank really wasn't big enough even for two, so over time I've returned most of the fish to the drainage pond where I caught them. Now I'm down to just one, who, if he could figure out how, would try to beat me up for even being in the same room. Very territorial litte begger, and very pretty.