Long-ear sunfish
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Scientific Name: lepomis megalotis Price: Upon Request Origin: United States Family: Centrarchidae NOT AVAILABLE NOW |
Technical Info
Temperature: 20 - 24 ℃
pH: 7.2 - 7.8
GH: 8 - 15
Max size: 20 cm
Min Tank size: 200 Ltr
Position in Aqua: Bottom swimmer
Description
Longear sunfish are deep, slab-sided fish with a small mouth. They get their name from their long ear flap, or opercle. There are two subspecies found in Ohio, the northern longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis peltastes) and the central longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis megalotis). The opercle is nearly all black with a white margin. The opercle of the central longear usually runs parallel to the fishes' body and may have several small red spots in the white margin. The opercle of the northern longear is smaller and often points backward at an upward angle rather than being parallel. Northern longears also have a large red spot at the back edge of the opercle. Longear sunfish have emerald blue wavy lines running from the mouth to the rear edge of the gill cover. The back is olive-green with blue-green specks on the side, and the belly is orange, red or yellow. Breeding males are brilliantly colored with the red and blue coloration on their face and body becoming more intense during this period. Females are less intensely colored and do not have as long of an opercle as males. The pumpkinseed sunfish has a similar body shape and coloration but never has a long opercle flap and are typically found in lakes rather than streams like the longear sunfish.
Food
Longear sunfish feed primarily on aquatic insects, but also on worms, crayfish, and fish eggs off the bottom.
Breeding
the male will construct a bowl-shaped nest and will court females into the nest to lay eggs. Male sunfish guard the young until 2 days after they become free swimming. If you want to breed them in captivity, separate the male and female for conditioning and feed them live foods and keep them at a higher temperature than usual, around 24-26 C. When the female becomes fat with eggs in about 2 weeks or so, add her to the male’s tank and breeding should take place.