Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)

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Blackbanded Sunfish
Enneacanthus chaetodon
Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)
Name Blackbanded Sunfish
Name Lat. Enneacanthus chaetodon
Family Sunfishes
Family lat. Centrarchidae
Order Basses
Order lat. Centrarchiformes
Origin SE-USA
Habitat Rivers, ponds, lakes
Diet Carnivore
pH 6.5-7.5
Behavior Peaceful
Keeping Pair, group
Care Level Easy
Reproduction Substrate spawner
Breeding Moderately difficult
Life Span 5-8 years
Protection No
Metric Units
Size 5-10 cm
Temperature 4-25 °C
Hardness 10-15 °dH
Aquarium 100 l or ponds
US Units
Size 2"-4"
Temperature 39-77 °F
Hardness 178-267 ppm
Aquarium 25 gal or ponds

Distribution and habitat

The original distribution area of the disc bass is the eastern USA, from New Jersey to Florida. They live in calm, weedy waters, such as ponds, lakes, and stillwater of rivers with a soft, sandy bottom. They were introduced to Europe in the 19th century and released animals now live in many ponds, rivers and lakes.

Maintenance

The pond should be furnished with pond, floating and especially oxygenating underwater plants (milfoil, waterweed, hornwort, etc.), large river pebbles, and a substrate of sand and round-grained gravel, and provide plenty of free swimming space.

When maintaining in a cold water aquarium (from 80 cm / 112 l), it is important to ensure that a large swimming space is available in addition to dense marginal planting and numerous hiding places (roots, stones). A soft substrate, oxygen-rich water and slightly shaded light (floating plants) is ideal

No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable in the water, and the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure the water quality and oxygen content should not be missing a filter adapted to the water volume.

Diet

They are predatory fish that feed on insects, small crustaceans, fish spawn and small fish. The food supply consists of live food, such as daphnia, artemia, mysis, tubifex, mosquito larvae, etc., which is also accepted without problems in frozen form, or a commercially available frozen food mix. High-quality, protein-rich dry food is also occasionally accepted.

Behaviour and compatibility

They should be kept in pairs in the aquarium and in a group in the pond. At spawning time they behave very territorial, so keeping several pairs is recommended only in a larger and richly structured tank. They can be well socialized with other not too small fish

Basically, only compatible fish species with similar demands on water quality and water temperature should be socialized.

Reproduction and breeding

The sexes are difficult to distinguish. The females are more vividly colored in the spawning season.

They spawn in May and June, from a water temperature of about 16 °C. The male creates a spawning pit under the protection of rocks and plants. After the female has laid the eggs, the male takes over the brood care and defends the territory. After 2-3 days the fry hatch and are guarded by the male for another 1-2 weeks before the brood care ends.

In the aquarium, the fry must be fed several times a day with special rearing food. In community tanks breeding is hardly possible, because the fry are easy prey here.

Important

They are sensitive to sudden water changes or temperature fluctuations. If they are used to reduce unwanted offspring of other pond fish, it should be borne in mind that the discfish themselves can reproduce strongly.

If they are overwintered in the pond, sufficient depth and oxygen supply (filter, oxygen dispenser, ice free holder) must be provided

At temperatures below 8-10 °C, the metabolism of the fish slows down and food is no longer accepted; feeding must be stopped accordingly. If the temperature drops further, they hibernate near the bottom. In spring, with rising temperatures, feeding can slowly be resumed. Feeding may also be necessary during prolonged warm periods in winter.

The well-being of the fish should be monitored regularly. A regular partial water change, according to the pond size is recommended, even if the pollutant load has not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced fish must be accustomed slowly to the water in the pond or aquarium

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: petdata

Source: BMELV (1998): Tierschutzgutachten - Haltung von Zierfischen (Süßwasser); RIEHL & BAENSCH (2006): Aquarien Atlas Bd. 1, Mergus Verlag; ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische; Harri Deutsch Verlag

  • Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF