Bluegills.

[S-kate]

I was sitting by a pond stocked with bluegills today, and I noticed how much they look like cichlids. It was fascinating. Are sunfish and cichlids related? This isn't important at all, just a curiosity.


http://www.wildernesscruises.com/images/bluegill.jpg

 

[tubbs24]

hehe I catch those while I'm up north! they are pretty good fighters....but to answer your question, I don't know lol...

 

[Rush07]

I don't know the answer either, but I have often thought that my Dempsy's look like sunnies, especially the dominant, darker one. I see what you are saying, but don't know the answer. Maybe someone else will know.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

To my knowledge...no not related.

Bluegill are in the Centrarchidae (? correct me if i am wrong) family, where as cichlids are in Cichlidae.

Very similar shapes and some behaviors, but not really related. There is a bass however labeled as a cichlid.

 

[S-kate]

Aw thats too bad. I was hoping the pond here on campus had cichlid cousins in it. It would be so cool to live on the Amazon or some place tropical and have all these exotic fish live in the wild right out side your home. Sunny's still look cool. I can pretend.

 

[Orion]

Yeah but if you lived down there they wouldn't be exotic to you anymore. They would be more like we think of the bluegills and sunfish.

"Dang I keep catching these stupid angel fish!"

No to my best of knowledge they aren't related. Fish are classified by more than just the way they look.

 

[fishtrap]

There is a bass however labeled as a cichlid.

Actually, it's a cichlid labled a bass. The peacock bass (paven). The IGFA record is over 27#!!! It's 100% MEAN ornerey toothy cichlid. After the bomb-just-went-off like explosive strike, it demolishes hard wood fishing lures as though the were potato chips!

Peacock pavon

Put in community tanks at your own risk

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Actually, it's a cichlid labled a bass.

Yeah, what i meant. *crazysmil

 

[fishtrap]

DOH!!!!!!!!

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

that is one crazy mean looking fish! i would run. where do they live?

 

[fishtrap]

Amazon basin. They have been planted in Florida also. Thriving!