What do spotted sunfish eat?

What kind of fish is a spotted sunfish?

The spotted sunfish ( Lepomis punctatus) is a member of the freshwater sunfish family Centrarchidae and order perciformes. The redspotted sunfish, redear sunfish and pumpkinseed sunfish are its closest relatives.

Where is the spotted sunfish found?

The spotted sunfish is a subtropical fish of the Southeastern United States found at latitudes of 41°N – 26°N. It is found in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal drainages from the Cape Fear region in North Carolina to the Apalachicola River system in western Florida.

What does a sunfish look like with a black spot?

Adult green sunfish have a large black spot at the rear of the second dorsal and anal fin bases, and breeding males have yellow or orange edges on the second dorsal, caudal, and anal fins.

Is the redspotted sunfish endangered in Illinois?

In Illinois the redspotted sunfish has been listed as endangered in that state. Fortunately a number of organizations have been working to help the species recover and are hoping to get the sunfish’s status reduced to threatened in Illinois by 2014.

Where do orange spotted sunfish live?

Circulated through the Midwest and Central United States, orange spotted sunfish (both native and non-native) have been found in states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Where do redspotted sunfish live in the US?

Geographic distribution The redspotted sunfish is a freshwater fish that can be found throughout the Mississippi River Valley. The distribution spreads north into Illinois and to the Ohio river, west into Texas and to Oklahoma’s Red River, and east to the Chattahoochee River in Georgia.

What does a green sunfish look like in Minnesota?

Because of its larger mouth, the green sunfish may eat larger critters than a bluegill of equal size, thus reducing competition between the species. The orangespotted is the smallest Minnesota sunfish, rarely reaching 4 inches. It is on of our most colorful species. Spawning males carry orange-red lines of the cheeks and gill covers.

Are there different species of sunfish in the same river?

Even within the same river, or river system, the species of sunfish can vary. Take time to learn what species of Sunfish live in the area that you are fishing. Click on each of the following Sunfish Species to find more information.

Where do orangespotted sunfish live?

Some studies find that, in general, orangespotted sunfish tend to live in turbid, long, large lakes, which is evident by its geographic distribution. The orangespotted sunfish is found in the Canard River near Ontario, Canada, though it is an introduced species.

What do sunfish eat in Minnesota?

Like the bluegill, the green sunfish eats aquatic insects and other invertebrates and small fish. Because of its larger mouth, the green sunfish may eat larger critters than a bluegill of equal size, thus reducing competition between the species. The orangespotted is the smallest Minnesota sunfish, rarely reaching 4 inches.

What is the smallest sunfish in Minnesota?

Because of its larger mouth, the green sunfish may eat larger critters than a bluegill of equal size, thus reducing competition between the species. The orangespotted is the smallest Minnesota sunfish, rarely reaching 4 inches. It is on of our most colorful species.

What biome does the orangespotted sunfish live in?

The orangespotted sunfish is ecologically unique and thrives in turbid, shallow systems that have few predators and low oxygen contents. The species prefers vegetated areas in sluggish backwaters or lakes, and can also be found in turbid rivers. The orangespotted sunfish can extend its range in lower-quality waters,…

How are orangespotted sunfish affected by floodplain lake degradation?

The orangespotted sunfish is one of many species that are characteristic to floodplain lakes and has been affected by the degradation of this system. The flat nature of floodplain lake areas makes agricultural runoff and runoff from manufacturers a distinct problem to water quality.

What is an orangespotted sunfish?

The orangespotted sunfish ( Lepomis humilis) is a North American species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family ( Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. These fish are widely distributed across the middle and eastern United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the east, from the Great Lakes south into the Gulf Coast.

What is the reproductive classification of the sunfish?

Its reproductive classification is a lithopelagophil, which means the fish spawn on gravel and the embryos are pelagic. Orangespotted sunfish nesting areas are often geographically close by other species’ areas and easily become crowded, which can increase the incidence of hybridization with other Lepomis.

What kind of sunfish are in Minnesota?

Minnesota fishing regulations use sunfish as the generic name for bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, longear, warmouth and their hybrids. More about the Quality Sunfish Initiative is available on the DNR website .

How can you tell a sunfish apart?

You can tell most Sunfish apart by looking at a few distinctive features. These include: The opercular flap (the flap at the edge of the gill plate, and the color of its border) Oftentimes, at least one of these features is noticeably different in a single species of Sunfish. That’s how you’ll tell them apart.

Where do orangespotted sunfish live in Minnesota?

Found in southern Minnesota, the orangespotted sunfish is too small to be popular with anglers. It is more tolerant of pollution and turbidity than other sunfish. Declines in water quality enable the orangespotted sunfish to extend its range while more desirable sunfish decline.

When do orangespotted sunfish breed?

Orangespotted sunfish breed once or twice in June and July, like most other sunfish, in colonies in shallow water near shore. Floodplain and backwater areas are known to include important spawning and nursery sites for orangespotted sunfish.

What do orangespotted sunfish eat?

The dominant prey of orangespotted sunfish includes insects, such as corixids and chironomids, zooplankton, other small invertebrates that live in the water column, and fish. Though orangespotted sunfish can be found in different parts of a lake, their prey items do not vary much throughout the lake compared to other sunfish species.