# Anyone ever keep Rock Bass?



## plecosrawesome (Mar 1, 2011)

I have 2 rock bass i got off a friend who caught them in a local lake and there pretty cool. There in a 30 gallon tank and are both around 4-6 inches. My question is has anyone on here ever keep them? What size tank should i have for them? How big do they get? I was thinking a 55 gallon would be fine with a good filter but i'd rather hear from more experienced keepers.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I had "natural fish" years ago.I had bass(started out about 2-3"),several sunfish,2 pickerel and a pearch.They were awesome.They were in a 135G so large tank and the fact that I set minnows traps(3) that I would retreive 2x aweek(very ample food supply of minnows and crayfish) they grew very quickly.In less than 6 mos my two bass were about 12-14" as everyone else also grew well.I had many friends offer to take the bass off my hands(to eat),but eventually released them back were I had caught them.I still live in same area and every 5-7 years I "re do" my tank and always give the natural idea serious consideration,although I haven't done this again.I'm not sure they were rock bass,my fisherman friend(who really wanted to eat them) said they were small mouth.


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## plecosrawesome (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, ive kept a largemouth bass before they are pigs! Always wanted to keep a smallmouth i've read they only get 18 inches max in an aquarium. Id agree with your friend also, im pretty sure rockbass are panfish and gets around 12 inches but i could be wrong.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Yeah I thought rock bass were similiar to sunfish or crappie.Natural tanks are so cool,and I loved my time at the creek(tending my traps) more than I'll ever enjoy trips to LFS.Free and fun,almost like sex!


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## plecosrawesome (Mar 1, 2011)

I completely agree lol!


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## flyin-lowe (Oct 3, 2009)

I would guess that 12 inches pretty long for a rock bass in a tank. I have caught some in Indiana and they have never been that big in the wild. Like stated above the ones I have caught were about the size of a blue gill but their mouths were a lot larger.


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