everglades pygmy sunfish

Scientific name Elassoma evergladei
Descriptor Jordan
Year of description 1884
IUCN category (World) LC
Family Elassomatidae
Genus Elassoma
Elassoma evergladei Elassoma evergladei

Introduction

Elassoma evergladei, commonly known as everglades pygmy sunfish, is a little fresh water fish from the North America.

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Who is it?

Morphology

  • Average size
    3 cm
  • Maximum size
    4 cm
  • Longevity
    8 year
  • Pattern
    mottling
  • Average size
    3 cm
  • Maximum size
    4 cm
  • Longevity
    8 year
  • Pattern
    mottling

How to recognize the everglades pygmy sunfish ?

The everglades pygmy sunfish measures around 3 cm. The dominant males can however reach 4 cm. This fish is bicolore with a predominantly bleu and noir body. The also has mottling.

Sexual dimorphism

The adult male is bigger than the female.

Behaviour & Life cycle

  • diet
    carnivorous
  • Sociability
    living in a group or alone
  • territorial
    Yes
  • Way of living
    diurnal

The everglades pygmy sunfish is a fish living in a group or alone naturally found near the bottom. This species is carnivorous . Measuring only a few centimeters, this small species tends to be discreet and hide in the presence of larger neighbors.

This species is territorial and does not appreciate the presence of intruders nearby, especially animals with similar behavior. However, the everglades pygmy sunfish has little concern for non-territorial animals.

Reproduction

  • Reproduction
    ovipare qui dépose ses Œufs dans la végétation

The everglades pygmy sunfish is a fish ovipare qui dépose ses Œufs dans la végétation.

Harmless species

This species does not represent any particular threats to humans when encountered in its natural environment.

Where to find it?

Conservation status of populations (IUCN)

World : LC

What is its habitat?

Natural environment characteristics

  • Temperature
    10 - 23 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    7 - 7.5
  • gh (hardness)
    8 - 12
  • Flow
    Slow and Stagnant

Biotope presentation

The everglades pygmy sunfish is most often found at a depth between 0m and 1m. However, it is not impossible to find this species at other depths. This animal evolves in areas characterized by a strong presence of vegetation (aquatic and marsh plants, decaying organic matter, roots...).

Species of the same biotope

Main recommendations for fishkeeping

Deontology

In order to preserve wildlife, if you acquire this animal, it must not be released into the wild. See also, the Fishipedia charter.

Fishipedia supports the practice of responsible and environmentally friendly aquarium keeping. We encourage maintenance if it is motivated by a desire to understand the biological functioning of living things and if it is done with respect for animal life.

We believe that aquaristics is an opening to the discovery of aquatic environments, especially freshwater, and that this knowledge is necessary to better protect and respect these environments. Logically, we refute the compulsive purchase of animals that would not find a sufficient and / or adapted place in the host aquarium.

Our recommendations

  • Min volume
    40 liters
  • Population min
    2
  • Temperature
    10 - 23 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    7 - 7.5

Characteristics

  • Difficulty breeding
    hard
  • Robustness
    tolerant
  • Behaviour
    slightly aggressive
  • Availability
    occasional

General reminders

It is strongly advised to read the complete dedicated file and to get information on the feedbacks of maintenance of the envisaged animal, this to avoid any potential conflict whose end result is generally the death of the individual (or the other inhabitants). It is important not to overload your aquarium to limit pollution. This will make maintenance easier.

In nature, animals are subject to weather conditions and live in waters with variable characteristics. The recommendations offered by our team for aquarium maintenance are a guidance and cannot be assimilated to scientific datas.

General reminder on maintenance datas

Le démarrage d'un aquarium est une partie primordiale pour l'équilibre et le bien-être des poissons. Lorsque l'on met en eau un aquarium, l'eau passe naturellement par un cycle biologique : le cycle de l'azote. Celui-ci dure environ trois semaines. Tous les 2 jours, nous vous conseillons de tester votre eau jusqu'à ce que le taux de nitrite soit à zéro pendant plusieurs jours d'affilée.

Pour accélérer ce cycle, vous pouvez utiliser un activateur de bactéries comme JBL Denitrol. Cette solution riche en bactéries vivantes et enzymes permet une mise en place rapide du cycle de l'azote. Les poissons peuvent alors être introduits plus rapidement.

Il est important de tester l'eau de son aquarium régulièrement pour maintenir un environnement sain pour les poissons et les autres habitants. Les tests d'eau permettent de mesurer les niveaux de différents paramètres tels que le pH, la dureté totale, ainsi que les taux de nitrates, de nitrites et d'ammoniaque.

Pour réaliser ces tests, vous pouvez utiliser des produits d'analyse spécialisés tels que JBL ProScan qui permet de réaliser un diagnostic de l'eau directement via un smartphone. Il existe également des coffrets de tests plus classiques de bandelettes, comme JBL PROAQUATEST.

En cas d’usage de l’eau du robinet, vous pouvez utiliser un conditionneur d’eau de type Biotopol de JBL pour éliminer les substances nocives comme le chlore, le cuivre, le plomb et le zinc. Les conditionneurs d'eau garantissent une meilleure santé aux poissons et une meilleure croissance des plantes.

Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for the health of animals. Used to disinfect water, these agents are present in significant quantities in tap water. We recommend using an anti-chlorine agent every time you change the water. In addition to chlorine, treatments and medicines sold for aquarium use sometimes contain dangerous heavy metals in high doses.

Specific needs for the everglades pygmy sunfish

The everglades pygmy sunfish is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 10 °C and 23 °C. For proper maintenance, the temperature should never exceed the 26°C for long periods. Nitrate levels should remain below 50mg/L. To keep the water clean and unpolluted, plan on changing 20% to 30% of the water volume each month.

The everglades pygmy sunfish is a species whose maintenance is rather reserved for informed aquarists . It can only be successfully carried out by carrying out a minimum of documentation work. Special husbandry conditions can easily lead to the death of the species.

This species is generally available in specialized shops or from aquarium clubs. Specimens that have been bred for a long time are easier to breed, but special water parameters must be respected.

Heating not required

As this species is used to living in fairly cool water, the presence of a resistance is not necessary in your aquarium. Also be careful to control the temperature of your tank in summer.

Formal incompatibilities

Be careful, the everglades pygmy sunfish is incompatible with crustacean.

Cohabitation & Environment

The everglades pygmy sunfish is a fish which it is advisable to maintain in specific aquarium. A 40 liter tank is sufficient to consider its breeding. Associating it with other species is not fundamentally impossible but a documentation work is necessary for the constitution of the population.

It should be noticed that this species should not be kept with large crustaceans or fish, as it would become a prey of choice. Smaller species should preferably be inserted in the aquarium some time before the larger ones. Moreover, if you want to breed it, it is better to put them in a specific aquarium.

The species enjoys a particularly vegetation-rich environment. The addition of plants will provide many useful hiding places for resting. These areas are also conducive to possible breeding in the aquarium. Floating plants such as Salvinia can be added to recreate the subdued atmosphere characteristic of its living conditions in the wild.

Tips for feeding

The everglades pygmy sunfish is carnivorous.

This species can eat dry food (flakes, pellets), fresh food and frozen food. To avoid deficiencies, it is recommended to vary the types of food.

You should not overfeed your residents to avoid polluting the water. For most species, it is better to feed a few small portions each day rather than one large meal.

Food recommendations from our partner JBL - Products PRONOVO

Reproduction protocol

  • egg-laying protection
    No

Hybridization risks

In general, it is advised not to mix several species of the same genus or different varieties of the same species, to avoid the risks of hybridization.

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To go further

To read on the web

Sources & Contributions

Participation & Validation

The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.

Benoit Chartrer

Benoit Chartrer

Translation

Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.

Bibliographic references

The Behavior of the Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Lepomis Gibbosus (Linneaus), With Notes On the Behavior of Other Species of Lepomis and the Pigmy Sunfish, Elassoma Evergladei - Helen Carter Miller - - 1963.

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Scientific partners

Same genus

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