Dollar sunfish Care Guide

Care Process

The Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) requires a moderately managed care environment to thrive. With a moderate hardiness level, they can tolerate a range of conditions but still need attentive management to ensure their health. This species is social, generally peaceful, but can exhibit moderate territorial behavior. They are known to be mostly peaceful but can become moderately more aggressive during breeding periods.

Feeding

Dollar Sunfish have a varied diet in their natural habitat, and it's crucial to replicate this as much as possible in captivity. Their dietary needs can be met with a combination of flakes, pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, frozen shrimp, and vegetable matter. Algae wafers and color-enhancing food can also be beneficial. They may also accept daphnia, micro worms, feeder fish, freeze-dried foods, and stick-on tablets.

Tank Setup

A well-planned tank setup is necessary for the comfort and health of your Dollar Sunfish. These fish thrive in a temperature range of 15°C to 25°C and a pH range of 6.0 to 9.0. Each Dollar Sunfish requires at least 50 liters of water, and they prefer to be in groups with a minimum school size of six. They are quite flexible, occupying the surface, mid-tank, and bottom-dwelling areas. When setting up the tank, it's essential to ensure ample space for each fish to establish its territory, given their moderately territorial nature.

Additional Information

This species is listed under least concern in terms of conservation status and is known to be very affordable and popular among aquarists. Due to their moderate maintenance level, Dollar Sunfish are not extremely difficult to care for but do require some attention to ensure their environment remains stable. Regular water changes and tank maintenance are essential to prevent the build-up of toxins and maintain water quality conducive to their health and well-being.