Redear sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
moderatesemi aggressivebottom swimmerCentrarchidae
- Tank length
- 150 cmabout 5 ft (59 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 10–28 °C50–82 °F
- pH
- 7–7.5
- Adult size
- 17.3 cm6.8 in
- Lifespan
- 6–10 yrs
Large snail-eating sunfish that soon needs a pond-sized tank; invertebrates will not survive with it.Large snail-eating sunfish that soon needs a pond-sized tank; invertebrates will not survive with it.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brevis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brilliant rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Caudopunctatus
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Lambchop rasboraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Multies
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Pindani
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Rusty cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Saulosi cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Similis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Afra cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Redear sunfishAlligator gar may eat Redear sunfish
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 10–28 | 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 | Southeastern USA | 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 | bottom | 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) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 30 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 150 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |