Elassoma is a genus of freshwater fish,
the only member of familyElassomatidae and suborder Elassomatoidei of order Perciformes.
The type species is E. zonatum, the banded pygmy
sunfish. The Elassomatidae are known collectively as pygmy sunfishes, but
are not true sunfishes, which are members of family Centrarchidae. Some
researchers believe they are related to sticklebacks and pipefishes (order Syngnathiformes)
rather than Perciformes.
The pygmy sunfishes grow to a maximum overall length of 3 to
4 cm (1.25 to 1.5 in). They occur mostly in temperate and subtropical swamps, marshes,
and other shallow, slow-moving, and heavily vegetated waters, across an area of
the American South stretching from the Coastal Plain of North
Carolina to central Florida, west along the Gulf Coast to
eastern Texas, and north up the Mississippi River Valley to southern Illinois.
The blue barred, Carolina, and spring pygmy sunfishes have small localized
populations and are considered Vulnerable.
The pygmy sunfishes are too small to be game fish, but are
popular as aquarium fish because of the males' iridescent colors
and fascinating breeding behaviors. Eggs are laid on or beneath dense
vegetation, and the male guards the nest area until the fry hatch and
scatter. They adapt well to small aquaria and are easy to care for, but require
small live worms, insects, or crustaceans as food. Most
individuals will not eat prepared fish foods.
Contents
