Green sunfish

Grass perch

The grass sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus ), also known as Green Sunfish, is a fish of the family of sunfish ( Centrarchidae ).

Features

The grass perch is different from other Lepomis species mainly by its shallower body and be much larger mouth. His body is mostly greenish and filled with some blue shimmering scales. Here, males are usually slightly more intensely colored than females. The fish usually reach a size of 15-20 cm, but can be large in exceptional cases, up to 31 cm.

Behavior

Its diet consists mainly of small animals such as insects and their larvae, snails and crabs, but also small fish are captured. Like its relative, the sunfish also operates the grass perch intensive brood care. During the spawning period examined for the male shallow water with sandy or kiesbedecktem reason. There fanning its tail fin free a shallow pit, which it vehemently defended. The female is lured by flashy Advertise the male to the nest. There it comes after several pairings bill for actual Laichakt. The eggs are thereby delivered clear and colorless, sticky and have a diameter of about one millimeter. After several pairings, the females from the vicinity of the mine is sold. Care and custody of the scrim accepts the male alone. It befächelt the eggs and hatched larvae with fresh water until they have consumed their yolk sac. The larvae hatch in about two days and after a further seven days in a position to take care of themselves.

Dissemination

Its natural range includes the United States of the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Rocky Mountains and the south of Ontario and northeastern Mexico. However, he was also introduced in New England, California and parts of Europe. In Germany he was already in the field Worms - found Karlsruhe and in Hesse. Its preferred habitat is ponds, lakes and slow-flowing rivers with dense vegetation.

Ecology

Grass perch should be suspended under any circumstances in nature, since they are quite capable of reproduction and survival in European climate. You do not have invasive species displace native species such as the ruffe and damage by their voracity the stock of aquatic small animals.

Hunting and

This fish enjoys a certain popularity among aquarists and can be kept in a cold- water aquarium or garden pond. Depending on the source, this type can even be overwintered in the garden pond. Important in the attitude, however, is a supply of clean, oxygen- rich water. You should also provide the grass perch both various hiding places and plenty of open swimming space. Therefore, an aquarium for a pair of grass perch should have at least an edge length of at least 1.2 m.