Help with ID of FL Sunfish

[AfroCichlid]

There are some very attractive fish in the canals around my home in Cape Coral. I caught this sunfish yesterday with a piece of hotdog tied to a string. This guy wouldn't let go all the out of the water. I'm thinking Red Ear Sunfish? I'd like to start a native Florida tank but if he is a red ear he'll get much too large.

 

[Notophthalmus]

Try posting that pic over at http://forum.nanfa.org/. That site is a great resource for North American native fish.

I can't tell you for sure what your sunny is, but he doesn't look like a shellcracker to me. They usually develop the red margin on the opercular lobe at a pretty young age.

 

[Dan06]

Very cool looking fish! He looks pissed! LOL

 

[J double R]

if i'm not mistaken, that's a juvenile Pumpkinseed.

 

[AfroCichlid]

Thanks for the link Noto. Seems like a knowledgeable forum.
Yeah, he's certainly fiesty, Dan. Already taking crickets and blood worms at 16 hours into captivity. I just hope he doesn't eventually grow too large for a 46 gallon. I'm going to rig a large trap and attempt to catch a few of the more attractive fish I've seen. Some have black vertical bars on the body and red finnage. Good excuse to keep a few more fish without my woman complaining about the cost. Hey the iguanas and monitors are free here too!

 

[Notophthalmus]

Just to keep everyone updated: the experts at NANFA have declared this to be a male Spotted Sunfish (Lepomis punctatus).

This fish will surely not outgrow a 46 gallon. Spotteds are one of the smaller sunfish and don't get nearly as big as redears, greens, warmouth, or bluegill. Lepomis and other centrarchids are often called the 'cichlids of North America'; you'll have to let us know how they compare, AfroCichlid!

 

[J double R]

i stand corrected.

 

[AfroCichlid]

I certainly will. This was IDed as being a male, hopefully I will be able to trap a female and observe some spawning.

 

[Star_Rider]

very cool.. sunfish usually have a lot of attitude.