The invisible bluegills!

The Turtle Whisperer Posts : 1930

I stopped at the fish farm to get a fresh batch of goldfish for Snappy, turtle eating machine, and they were out of the usual size I get for her. So, instead they gave me a handful of bluegill to see what she thinks about them. I expected her not to care, fish being fish and all but I'm thinking I may end up with some bluegill in a tank at some point.

I'm going to give her a week or so to see if she figures it out, but I'm beginning to think that she can't see them. I watched a few swim right by her head and she just sat there. If a similar sized goldfish did the same thing, it would have been devoured.

Anyway, I haven't done any real research yet, but has anyone kept them? They're pretty enough that I don't think I'd mind them having their own tank, provided there's no elaborate requirements or feeding issues.

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:13 pm

I have heard some things about this and it seems to have to do with spiny finned fish. The bluegills are spiny finned and comets and other goldfish are not. She doesn't want to get indigestion from the bluegills... Smile

The Turtle Whisperer Posts : 1930

lolololol. After watching her eat bony little birds whole out of the pond, I somehow don't think that's it. Very Happy

One is missing finally, I'm not sure if she caught it, or it died of natural causes and floated by her head enough times. Smile

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:04 pm

Haha...not talking about bones...mostly referring to the spiny fins. They are harder for fish and other predators to swallow and therefore when both are found fish will prefer to eat the soft finned fish. When food is harder to come by they will eat spiny finned fish. She may have just needed some time to get real hungry. Here's a short paragraph about what I meant. The article had to do with what baits to use for fishing. Maybe it doesn't hold true for turtles.

Quote :: Natural and Live Bait:

Natural and live bait are successful for the obvious reason that they are what a fish prefers to eat. There are two main facets of successfully using natural and/or live bait. First, and most obviously, the bait you choose needs to be a food source that the fish is familiar with and desires. Second, the bait should be presented so that it is, or appears to be, alive and/or natural. There are many different ways to rig live and natural bait to accomplish this and with experimentation and practice you'll find what works best for the particular bait you are using. Predator fish will generally eat whatever food is most available at the moment. Most predators prefer slim-bodied, soft-finned fish because they are easy to swallow. But when other foods are scarce, predators will consume deep-bodied, spiny-finned prey such as sunfish.

The Turtle Whisperer Posts : 1930

and here I thought you were kidding. Smile

I'm going to have to look into that some. I wonder if that would apply to turtles too.

I still do think coloration is a factor to some extent, as in the past she's had trouble spotting the dark brown/solid black goldfish and the darker convicts. But, for as long as she's been here, I wouldn't think she'd know or remember that bluegills are spiny nasty things.

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:52 pm

Good discussion, I couldn't say but I can say funny how some predators just wont prey on certain things. I guess that holds true for many different species. For instance I had to do something with my leaf fish quite some time ago now, I decided he would go to live with the Cichlids, I figured he would become food. Low and behold he is still in with them and has never even had a nic or scratch and he is about and eighth size of some of them. I am sure it is just lack of interest but who knows.

I am rambling on now but the same rule must hold true for turtles in some way. I would suspect he can see them maybe just not as wonderfully appealing as the goldies.

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:41 am

Mostlycichlids wrote:: funny how some predators just wont prey on certain things. I guess that holds true for many different species.

My snake was very picky with his prey. There were some animals that he'd devour in no time -- others he wouldn't touch, no matter how hungry he got. More than once i ended up with feeder pets.

The Turtle Whisperer Posts : 1930

That's why you need to train it to take pre-killed. None of the hassle of live stuff.

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:08 am

He preferred the chase. Wouldn't eat anything already dead. I tried heating them, killing them right before (the worst), letting him get really hungry... He wouldn't touch them. I found the live ones less hassle.

The Turtle Whisperer Posts : 1930

Oh, I never said it was easy to switch them over, but it's a hell of a lot more convenient, keeping rats and mice in the freezer is waaaaay easier. Smile

Be glad you don't have anything big enough that you need a chicken around for. Wink

Subject: Re: The invisible bluegills! Sat Nov 05, 2011 11:13 pm

Ok, you can't leave me hanging! What do need chicken's for?

The invisible bluegills!

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