Banded sunfish
Enneacanthus obesus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 64–72°F
- 18–22°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Centrarchidae
- Origin
- Eastern USA, Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages (New Hampshire to Florida)
Overview
The banded sunfish is a small North American sunfish for a cool, unheated planted tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.
Did you know
The banded sunfish needs a winter chill that would stress a tropical fish, with the water cooling toward 10 to 15 C. That seasonal cool-down mimics its wild winter and is often what triggers spawning once the water warms again. A cold spell in an unheated tank can be the thing that finally gets a pair breeding.
Caring for the banded sunfish
Give a pair, trio or small group of banded sunfish at least 20 gal (75 L) so territories can form. Add everyone at the same time. A densely planted tank with leaf litter, driftwood and broken sight lines suits them. They sit in the middle of the water column.
Keep them at 64 to 72°F (18 to 22°C) in soft water, acidic to neutral, at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. The banded sunfish is not a tropical fish, so skip the heater in most rooms and let the tank run cool. Give them a winter drop toward 10 to 15 C if you can manage it. They are sensitive to poor water, so stay on top of water changes.
Feed live or frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp, since they often refuse flake. They stay mostly peaceful toward similarly sized cool-water tank mates. Do not mix them with other sunfish or larger aggressive centrarchids, since they will fight.
Males squabble and turn territorial at spawning time. The male digs a small nest depression and guards it. Breeding them is moderately hard.
This is a North American native, so never release one into local waters. Check your state rules before keeping it.
Good to know
The banded sunfish is a true sunfish in the family Centrarchidae. Most adults stay smaller than the maximum, at 6 to 8 cm. It is a micropredator that hunts small live prey rather than grazing.
In the wild
Banded sunfish are a cool-water native of the eastern United States. They live in slow, heavily vegetated waters across the Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages, from New Hampshire down to Florida. These are soft, acidic blackwater habitats, stained with tannins from leaf litter and packed with plants.
Common questions
What size tank does a banded sunfish need?
A banded sunfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a banded sunfish need?
A banded sunfish is comfortable at 64–72°F (18–22°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a banded sunfish eat?
A banded sunfish eats live or frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp. It often refuses flake.
How big does a banded sunfish get?
An adult banded sunfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
How does a banded sunfish breed?
Males dig a small nest depression and guard it, and they turn territorial at spawning time. Breeding banded sunfish takes some effort.
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