Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)

Scientific name: Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque, 1819

The Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) is a freshwater fish of the family Centrarchidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 18–32°C (64–90°F).

Green sunfish care at a glance

Temperature: 18–32°C (64–90°F)

Biology

Inhabit quiet pools and backwaters of sluggish streams; lakes and ponds. Often near vegetation. Juveniles feed on immature insects and microcrustaceans. Nest spawners.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Lepomis cyanellus
Family: Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 31.0
Common length: 20.0
Environment: Freshwater;; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 10 - 15 benthopelagic
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: North America: Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from New York in USA and from Ontario in Canada to Minnesota and south Dakota, USA, and south to the Gulf of Mexico; from Escambia River in Florida, and Mobile Bay in Georgia and Alabama to Rio Grande in Texas, USA. Also northern Mexico.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=5)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026