Everglades pygmy sunfish

Elassoma evergladei

Also known as Florida pygmy sunfish, Pygmy sunfish

FreshwaterFish

Everglades pygmy sunfish (Elassoma evergladei) — Brian Gratwicke · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 54–82°F (12–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.3 in (3.4 cm)
Minimum tank: 8 gal (30 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Native to the southeastern United States from North Carolina to Florida, in heavily planted, still swamps and ditches.
Family: Elassomatidae

Overview

A tiny temperate fish at around 3 cm, it suits a densely planted tank from about 30 litres and needs no heater in a normal room. Keep it cool at 12 to 28 C and pH 6.0 to 7.5, with an ideal around 18 to 24 C. Keep it in a small group in a calm species tank, as it is shy and easily outcompeted. It generally needs small live and frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, microworm and daphnia, since it often ignores flake.

In the wild

The Everglades pygmy sunfish is a tiny native of the southeastern United States, with males flashing black and iridescent blue when courting. It lives in still, heavily vegetated swamps and ditches. It picks tiny invertebrates from among the plants.

Good to know

Elassoma evergladei reaches only about 3.4 cm and belongs to the pygmy sunfish family Elassomatidae. It is a temperate fish that tolerates a wide temperature range and does not need a heater in most rooms. Courting males perform a jerky dance to attract females.