Longear sunfish
Lepomis megalotis
- Tank length
- 120 cmabout 4 ft (47 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 4–22 °C39–72 °F
- pH
- 7–7.5
- Adult size
- 12 cm5 in
- Lifespan
- 6–10 yrs
Strikingly coloured sunfish; one male per tank, as rival males fight over nesting sites.Strikingly coloured sunfish; one male per tank, as rival males fight over nesting sites.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African butterfly cichlid
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Angfa rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Arfak rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Batanta rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Black kuhli loach
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Black neon tetraNo shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Blackline rasbora
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Bleeding heart tetra
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Blind cave tetra
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Blue emperor tetra
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 4–22 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7–7.5 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 10–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Central and eastern North America | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 6–10 | curated-v0 (needs expert review); agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Months to adult size | 24 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 120 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |