What to Do to Put Bluegill in an Aquarium?

Bluegill are freshwater game fish typically found on the east coast of the United States that grow to about 12 inches in length, topping out at 16 inches for larger fish. They are fairly hardy fish that do not have stringent habitat requirements and can, therefore, be kept in home aquariums provided that no more than three are kept in a tank and that they are the only species inhabiting it.

  1. Tank

    • Bluegill are relatively large fish that require a tank that is wide enough to accomodate their movement. A 75-gallon tank is the minimum size needed to keep three bluegills because it is the appropriate length (4 feet) and width (18 inches). If you want to keep more than three bluegills, you will need a larger tank.

    Filtration

    • Tank water requires adequate filtration. A canister filter is an external filter that is placed outside the aquarium. This device draws in the tank's water via a plastic tube, filters it, then expels the clean water back into the tank via another plastic tube. The filter must be large enough to properly filtrate the tank. The filter's packaging contains information about the filter's capacity. You can also use hanging filters, but they are more appropriate for smaller aquariums and may be insufficient to filter the dirty water bluegills produce.

    Water Quality

    • Bluegills must be kept in water with a pH between 7.0 and 7.5, which is the standard pH of freshwater (neutral). The water should be distilled so that it does not contain excess minerals, and dechlorinated using a commercial dechlorinator that removes harmful chemicals. Bluegills can survive a wide temperature range, but the water should be no warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit and no cooler than 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You can adjust the temperature of the water with a commercial aquarium heater that sticks to the interior of the tank with suction cups.

    Lighting and Decor

    • You should decorate bluegill aquariums with wood and a layer of gravel about 2 inches thick. Boil or rinse the gravel before putting it into the aquarium to remove germs and bacteria. Soak the wood in a bucket of water for 24 hours to remove sediment that may discolor the water. Bluegills do not need bright lighting because they are used to dimmer, pond-like conditions and will thrive with standard fluorescent aquarium lighting and a tight-fitting hood. The lights should be on about 10 hours per day to mimic natural sun cycles.

    Feeding

    • Bluegills are carnivores that enjoy meaty foods such as earthworms, bloodworms, waxworms, smaller fish (like feeder goldfish) and small crayfish. If feeding them feeder fish, you must change about one-quarter of the water the day after feeding. Feeder fish cause an ammonia spike in the water because of the excess urine they produce, which could be dangerous to the bluegills.