Green Sunfish - Lepomis cyanellus

Green Sunfish - Photo credit: William Pflieger

Life history and habitat requirements: The green sunfish (5.9-12.2 inches) is an introduced species that prefers streams. It can tolerate greater turbidity than many other sunfishes. They feed primarily on insects but they will also eat crustaceans, fish eggs, very small fish and algae. Green sunfish spawn in the spring and summer. The green sunfish construct nests like the other sunfishes (i.e. the pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish and bluegill), but the nests are isolated or occur in smaller groups, and are usually located in pools or along stream banks.

Total length: 4-6 inches
Pollution tolerance (US EPA): Tolerant
Classification: Macrohabitat generalist

Number of fish found during 1954 & 2001 fish surveys:*

Location No. of Fish 1954 No. of Fish 2001
North Brook 7  
Total 7 0

*Sources:
DFW. 2001. Assabet Watershed Fish Survey. Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), Westborough, MA.

Schlotterbeck, L.C. and W.A. Tompkins. 1954. "A Fisheries Investigation of the Merrimack and Ipswich River Drainages." Bureau of Wildlife Research and Management, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Westborough, MA.