Facts about Sunfish

Members of the Enneacanthus genus are commonly known as the banded or little sunfishes, including the well known species, E. obesus, the banded sunfish and E. chaetodon, the black-banded sunfish.

Sunfish are native only to North America and are only freshwater fish.

The pseudobranch of sunfish is small and concealed (Nelson 1994).

Another group of freshwater fish sometimes known as sunfish that are not part of the Centrarchidae family includes the "pygmy sunfish," which comprise the genus Elassoma of family Elassomatidae.

Some other fish, both marine and freshwater, also have the common name sunfish.

The Centrarchidae as a group are known as the sunfishes, but there are species designated as basses, bluegills, pumpkinseed, and crappies, and so forth.

Sunfish (or centrarchids) are typically nest builders, where the male hollows out a small depression with his tail, the female lays the eggs, and then the male guards the eggs (Nelson 1994).

The interesting colors, color patterns, and shapes of sunfish also add to the wonder of nature.