Care
The Everglades Pygmy Sunfish is known from sluggish streams, canals, ditches, ponds, and swamps with muddy substrates. Here, the water is subtropical in temperature and packed with dense aquatic vegetation. These peaceful, timid fish are an ideal choice for a small, quiet, temperate species aquarium that is heavily planted. The tank must be mature and have myriad of hiding places amongst driftwood and thick vegetation, including Ceratophyllum (which features prominently in the natural habitat) along with floating species to help diffuse the light. Filtration should be good but water movement gentle. In smaller aquaria, it is best to house just a single male with 2 or 3 females. In larger quarters, however, multiple males could be kept together if they are outnumbered by females and if the aquarium is absolutely packed full with plants to create a multitude of visual barriers. A male fish displaying in breeding dress to the females is a sight to behold.
Feeding
Small frozen foods such as baby brineshrimp, mini-bloodworm, cyclops, and daphnia.
Breeding
In a setup as described above, the fish should spawn regularly. 40-60 eggs per spawning are deposited onto the plants. The parents do not usually eat the fry, although some like to move the adults to another tank just to be sure. Offer infusoria as a first food.
