▷ Sunfish | Lepomis gibbosus | All information and details

Data sheet Sunfish

German name:
sunfish

Scientific name:
Lepomis gibbosus

Origin:
Southern Canada and USA

Size:
Body length 10 cm – 15 cm, rarely up to 30 cm

Aquarium

Length:
Length from 120 cm width, better from 200 cm

Contents:
from 400 liters

water values

Temperature:
18°- 25° C

pH:
6.5 – 7.5

GH:
10° – 25° dH

Behave

Area:
middle area

Lining:
Live food such as young animals, fish spawn, small invertebrates

Behave:
peaceful but territorial

Number:
small group with a maximum of 3 animals

Difficulty level:
Novice Cephas, Lepomis gibbosus PAQ, CC BY-SA 3.0

The keeping conditions for sunfish

Bluegill (Lepomis gibbosus) Source: Image on Wikimedia Commons License: CC Attr. SA 3.0 Author: largemouth33

Sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus, are native to North America. Sunfish are known there as panfish and are a popular prey for many anglers. At the beginning of the 20th century sunfish were released in many places in Europe, e.g. B. in the Upper Rhine. Sunfish now live in almost every lake in Central Europe.

Sunfish are about 20 centimeters long. They can be kept at 18-25°C. But they can also be kept at 13° – 24° C. The aquarium can therefore be unheated. 3 to 4 animals can be kept in 400 to 600 liters. Bluegills form strong territories, at least during the spawning season. Smaller animals are always scared away by larger males.

The plants should be robust because sunfish sometimes have wild chases during the spawning season. Suitable plants are e.g. B. Vallisneria, horn leaf and waterweed.

Sunfish can also be kept in the garden pond. In a pond with 400 square meters of water surface, they have enough space and can choose their own feed from nature. For natural reproduction, they need shallow, gravelly bays. For wintering, the pond must be at least 1 meter deep.

What sunfish eat

At least some sunfish eat only live, moving food. Freeze-dried food and flake food are ignored. Depending on their body size, the animals develop a fairly decent appetite. It is therefore important to pay close attention to the water parameters.

Food for sunfish:

Young sunfish with a size of approx. 5 centimeters can apparently also be accustomed to other food.

The gender differences

The sexes are difficult to distinguish. Males are slightly larger than females. At least in the first 2 – 3 years the males are also more colorful. The light blue border in the dorsal fin is more pronounced in males.

On the extensions of the gill cover there is an orange, black-edged spot in males and females. The spot is slightly larger in males.