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Scientific Name Lepomis cyanellus  Rafinesque, 1819
Common Names Green Sunfish
Gruener Sonnenbarsch (Germany)
Type Locality Ohio River, U.S.A.
Pronunciation leh poe miss. - sigh an elle us.
Etymology Lepomis is from Greek, lepis meaning scaled and poma meaning gill cover or operculum. From the Greek kuanos, meaning dark blue.
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Size 310mm or 12.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Sexing Adult males are larger and have more vivid and darker colors than females.
General Remarks The green sunfish is said to have polarization sensitive vision not found in humans and other vertebrates mostly which helps in enhancement of visibility of target objects in scattering media, using a method called polarization difference imaging.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution North America: Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from New York in USA and from Ontario in Canada to Minnesota and south Dakota, USA, and south to the Gulf of Mexico; from Escambia River in Florida, and Mobile Bay in Georgia and Alabama to Rio Grande in Texas, USA. Also northern Mexico.
IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Temperature 18.0-24.5°C or 64.4-76.1°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters Can withstand water temperatures well above and below the ideal range given for short periods of time.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Omnivorous with stronger carnivorous tendencies. Feed cichlid pellets, high quality flake, brine shrimp, bloodworms. User data.
Suggested Tankmates Other decently sized North American native fish such other Lepomis Sunfish (ex. Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds, etc.), Black and White Crappies, Yellow Perch, Large Minnows, Bullhead Catfish, and Channel Catfish.
Breeding In nature, once water temperatures rise to 70-75°F (normally spring) males will excavate nests in the substrate. Multiple females will them spawn with one male. The male will then be the sole protector and caretaker of the eggs and the fry until the fry are a few weeks old.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire Naturelle v. 88, pp 420.
Registered Keepers There is but a single registered keeper, view all "my fish" data.
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There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
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Last Update 2020 Oct 08 14:40 (species record created: 2013 Sep 07 16:38)