Blackbanded sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)

[jetajockey]

The blackbanded sunfish is a north american native. It is primarily found in sluggish backwaters and vegetated areas. It hails from blackwater type settings ranging to somewhat clear, but is almost always found in acidic water (again, ranging).

Description: This is a small sunfish, I like to call them dwarfs, as they only get around 2-3" fully grown. They have a compressed body that is white with silver sheen, and distinct vertical barring.

Distribution of the blackbanded sunfish is throughout most of the east coast ranging from NJ down to Florida. However, in the last few decades, their populations have dwindled in many areas including Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Some of these states have them on a 'species of special concern' status as well. Because of this, it may end up that this species will be very limited and potentially only available through breeders in the aquarium trade.

Diet: In the wild, this fish is primarly an insectivore. It also eats small crustaceans and small fry. Because of this, feeding in aquaria can be a bit complicated. For best results, feed live grindal worms, brine shrimp, blackworms, or similar. Fish appear to take to frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp pretty quickly. Captive bred specimens are much easier to feed, and some may even take to flake food.

Breeding: These are substrate spawners, in which the male creates a bed and then spawns with a willing female. It appears that the male will protect the eggs until shortly after they hatch, and at that point they become a free for all. Newborn fry can take live microworms ,infusoria, or baby brine shrimp after their yolk sac has been absorbed.

Here's a video of our blackbanded sunfish colony.

[Dallascowboys16]

Originally Posted by jetajockey

The blackbanded sunfish is a north american native. It is primarily found in sluggish backwaters and vegetated areas. It hails from blackwater type settings ranging to somewhat clear, but is almost always found in acidic water (again, ranging).

Description: This is a small sunfish, I like to call them dwarfs, as they only get around 2-3" fully grown. They have a compressed body that is white with silver sheen, and distinct vertical barring.

Distribution of the blackbanded sunfish is throughout most of the east coast ranging from NJ down to Florida. However, in the last few decades, their populations have dwindled in many areas including Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Some of these states have them on a 'species of special concern' status as well. Because of this, it may end up that this species will be very limited and potentially only available through breeders in the aquarium trade.

Diet: In the wild, this fish is primarly an insectivore. It also eats small crustaceans and small fry. Because of this, feeding in aquaria can be a bit complicated. For best results, feed live grindal worms, brine shrimp, blackworms, or similar. Fish appear to take to frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp pretty quickly. Captive bred specimens are much easier to feed, and some may even take to flake food.

Breeding: These are substrate spawners, in which the male creates a bed and then spawns with a willing female. It appears that the male will protect the eggs until shortly after they hatch, and at that point they become a free for all. Newborn fry can take live microworms ,infusoria, or baby brine shrimp after their yolk sac has been absorbed.

Here's a video of our blackbanded sunfish colony.

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12-16-2014, 01:06 AM	#3
jetajockey come get me tang police!     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: In a swamp near you /Pensacola, FL Posts: 12,046	I'm not sure if CARES does anything with centarchids or north american natives in general. I know they are not on the IUCN red list, but may be in time. If the habitat destruction and other issues continue then it's inevitable that they'll be on the protected lists of most of the states they are in (they are already on a few), or they'll get federal status. This fish is one of my absolute favorite, #1 native fish that I've wanted to keep, so I was ecstatic to find a guy who is breeding them. __________________ Dont Forget to Join my FREE weekly Plant Giveaway. Click Here!

12-16-2014, 06:57 AM	#4
Brookster123 Aquarium Advice Addict     Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Mass Posts: 19,821	Very cool fish there.. that tank seems more interesting than most.. they're almost like mini discus... hehe sunfish mosh pit. . Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app __________________ I'm not really here... fell in the tank and my phone is just that smart

12-16-2014, 08:08 PM	#5
jetajockey come get me tang police!     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: In a swamp near you /Pensacola, FL Posts: 12,046	They remind me a lot of rams, minus the bickering and squabbling as they get older. Sent from my LG-D850 using Aquarium Advice mobile app __________________ Dont Forget to Join my FREE weekly Plant Giveaway. Click Here!

12-16-2014, 08:26 PM	#6
Andy Sager Aquarium Advice Addict     Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lake Wales, Florida Posts: 7,156	Very interesting fish. My first thought when I looked at the pic ( and before I read the description) was, I would like to have them! Are you collecting them or do you know any local breeders with them for sale? __________________

12-16-2014, 08:37 PM	#7
jetajockey come get me tang police!     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: In a swamp near you /Pensacola, FL Posts: 12,046	I got mine from a guy who captive breeds them in Maryland. His name is Frank and I believe he's active on the CCA forum. You *might* be able to find them locally in the wild, although with their range dwindling it may be more miss than hit. We have a lot of enneacanthus obesus and enneacanthus gloriosus here. (banded and bluespotted). If you end up considering looking for them, contact me and I'll give you some more detail on how I do it. __________________ Dont Forget to Join my FREE weekly Plant Giveaway. Click Here!

12-16-2014, 08:38 PM	#8
Brookster123 Aquarium Advice Addict     Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Mass Posts: 19,821	So you've found some and aquired some? And yes, they sit like rams, the vertical banding reminds me of discus.. my 5 banded barbs too for that matter.. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app __________________ I'm not really here... fell in the tank and my phone is just that smart

12-16-2014, 08:49 PM	#9
Andy Sager Aquarium Advice Addict     Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lake Wales, Florida Posts: 7,156	Originally Posted by jetajockey I got mine from a guy who captive breeds them in Maryland. His name is Frank and I believe he's active on the CCA forum. You *might* be able to find them locally in the wild, although with their range dwindling it may be more miss than hit. We have a lot of enneacanthus obesus and enneacanthus gloriosus here. (banded and bluespotted). If you end up considering looking for them, contact me and I'll give you some more detail on how I do it. Sounds good. I actually have a drainage culvert that goes to the lake nearby. I've seen gambusia, green sailfin mollies, small largemouth bass and some undescribed fish in there so with the rainy season over, I may be able to just take a dip net in my driveway But if that fails, I will ask for help for sure. Thank you. __________________

12-16-2014, 10:16 PM	#10
jetajockey come get me tang police!     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: In a swamp near you /Pensacola, FL Posts: 12,046	I have caught many enneacanthus gloriosus and some e.obesus. these are e.gloriosus (bluespotted sunfish) Sent from my LG-D850 using Aquarium Advice mobile app __________________ Dont Forget to Join my FREE weekly Plant Giveaway. Click Here!

12-16-2014, 10:48 PM	#11
Andy Sager Aquarium Advice Addict     Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lake Wales, Florida Posts: 7,156	Those are nice too. I just bought out a breeder's room so I have about 200 tanks to play with. Unfortunately, they all won't fit into my new building. Need to build racks to see just how many I have to use for my Angelfish and then go for some other fish __________________

[jetajockey]

I'm not sure if CARES does anything with centarchids or north american natives in general. I know they are not on the IUCN red list, but may be in time. If the habitat destruction and other issues continue then it's inevitable that they'll be on the protected lists of most of the states they are in (they are already on a few), or they'll get federal status.

This fish is one of my absolute favorite, #1 native fish that I've wanted to keep, so I was ecstatic to find a guy who is breeding them.

[Brookster123]

Very cool fish there.. that tank seems more interesting than most.. they're almost like mini discus... hehe sunfish mosh pit. .

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

[jetajockey]

They remind me a lot of rams, minus the bickering and squabbling as they get older.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

[Andy Sager]

Very interesting fish. My first thought when I looked at the pic ( and before I read the description) was, I would like to have them! Are you collecting them or do you know any local breeders with them for sale?

[jetajockey]

I got mine from a guy who captive breeds them in Maryland. His name is Frank and I believe he's active on the CCA forum. You *might* be able to find them locally in the wild, although with their range dwindling it may be more miss than hit. We have a lot of enneacanthus obesus and enneacanthus gloriosus here. (banded and bluespotted).

If you end up considering looking for them, contact me and I'll give you some more detail on how I do it.

[Brookster123]

So you've found some and aquired some? And yes, they sit like rams, the vertical banding reminds me of discus.. my 5 banded barbs too for that matter..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by jetajockey

I got mine from a guy who captive breeds them in Maryland. His name is Frank and I believe he's active on the CCA forum. You *might* be able to find them locally in the wild, although with their range dwindling it may be more miss than hit. We have a lot of enneacanthus obesus and enneacanthus gloriosus here. (banded and bluespotted).

If you end up considering looking for them, contact me and I'll give you some more detail on how I do it.

Sounds good. I actually have a drainage culvert that goes to the lake nearby. I've seen gambusia, green sailfin mollies, small largemouth bass and some undescribed fish in there so with the rainy season over, I may be able to just take a dip net in my driveway But if that fails, I will ask for help for sure. Thank you.

[jetajockey]

I have caught many enneacanthus gloriosus and some e.obesus. these are e.gloriosus (bluespotted sunfish)


Sent from my LG-D850 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

[Andy Sager]

Those are nice too. I just bought out a breeder's room so I have about 200 tanks to play with. Unfortunately, they all won't fit into my new building. Need to build racks to see just how many I have to use for my Angelfish and then go for some other fish