green sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
A North American sunfish with a short, deep body, introduced to Brazil, where it is exotic. It lives in backwaters and vegetated lagoons and is considered a sport fish.
Also called: peixe-sol-verde, pez sol, green sunfish
- maximum
- 31 cm
- record/max.
- 1.0 kg
who is the green sunfish
The green sunfish is a fish of the family Centrarchidae, with a short, deep body. Reaches 31 centimeters and up to 960 grams, and can live up to 9 years. It is native to North America, from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and to northern Mexico. In Brazil it is an exotic species, introduced from the United States between 1930 and 1939. Adults live in pools and backwaters of slow streams, in lakes and ponds, almost always near vegetation. Juveniles eat immature insects and microcrustaceans. It builds a nest to spawn and has commercial and aquaculture use.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the green sunfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It builds a nest to spawn and can live up to 9 years.
identification
A short, deep body, compressed from side to side, typical of sunfishes, with greenish tones that give the species its name in other languages. It belongs to the same family as the black bass in the catalog (Centrarchidae), but it is much smaller, up to 31 centimeters. It lives in backwaters, lakes and vegetated ponds, where it was also introduced.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Native to North America, including northern Mexico. In Brazil it is exotic: its introduction dates from the 1930s, with no clear indication of where.
Habitat: Pools and backwaters of slow streams, lakes and ponds, almost always near vegetation.
introduced in
rules for the green sunfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The spines of the dorsal and anal fins can prick: hold it firmly by the body, with a wet hand, and remove the hook without forcing it. Because it is exotic in Brazil, do not transport it or release it into other waters.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01479, b = 3.11; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Lepomis cyanellus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Lepomis cyanellusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
