FISH OF THE WEEK - Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus).

Today we have a little sunfish that is a favorite among North American native fish keepers- the Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus).

Banded sunfish are native to the United States where they can be found on the Atlantic coastal plain from southern New Hampshire to north-central Florida and along the gulf slope to eastern Alabama. They prefer ponds, lakes, and slow moving streams with plenty of vegetation and a silty or sandy substrate. They are gray to brown with darker bands and bright blue spots appearing during breeding. These sunfish are quite small, commonly growing to 2-3 inches (6-8cm). Due to their tiny size they only eat small invertebrates like worms, insect larvae, and crustaceans. Spawning males will construct a sand or gravel nest and care for the eggs and fry until they are old enough to survive on their own. Threats to this species in the wild include loss of forested land and especially the removal of riparian cover along coastal plain streams, which provide important woody debris and leaf litter for this species.

In the aquarium they should be kept species-only or with smaller, non-aggressive fish due to their timid nature and being preyed upon by larger game fish in the wild. Small squabbles between dominant fish can occur but it is never lethal aggression if housed appropriately. Like their species name suggests, E. obesus is a voracious eater and does not have trouble adapting to prepared foods- frozen foods like bloodworms and blackworms are a favorite. Plenty of botanicals will feed small crustaceans and create hiding areas for the fish. Banded sunfish prefer soft acidic water but are adaptable to more alkaline conditions.

Sources and further reading:
• https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/summary/3369
• https://www.dnr.sc.gov/swap/supplemental/freshwaterfish/bandedsunfish2015.pdf