In this post we’re going to compare two freshwater fish cousins, namely the Bluegill vs. Sunfish.
If you are interested in freshwater fish, you may have heard of bluegills and sunfishes. Both are extremely popular species in many lakes around the United States and beyond. While they can look similar at first glance, there are some big differences between these fish regarding their size, availability, breeding habits, diet preferences, habitat requirements, and more.
Introduction
We will break down all aspects of bluegills and sunfishes so that after reading this informative piece, you will understand exactly; why these two fascinating creatures are such beloved specimens!
Because they’re so closely related there’s typically also lots of confusion about whether they’re the same fish – keep reading to tease this out as well.
Comparison Table
| Category | Bluegill | Sunfish |
| Appearance | Olive-green or bronze-brown bodies with dark spots near the dorsal fin; long, oval-shaped bodies; 4 to 8 inches long when fully grown. | Deep-bodied with large mouths; 4 to 12 inches long when fully grown; various colors, including blue, green, red, and yellow. Some species have distinctive stripes running down their bodies. |
| Availability | Most prevalent in North America but also other parts of the world. | Found in North America, but many species can be found worldwide. |
| Breeding habits | Prefer shallow waters with lots of cover hiding from predators where they spawn yearly; weave eggs amongst vegetation or debris. | Prefer deeper water temperatures for spawning; lay eggs on aquatic vegetation or hard surfaces. |
| Diet preferences | Feed off insect larvae and small crustaceans; occasional plant matter. | Feed off insect larvae, small crustaceans, plant material; occasional small fish; scavengers. They eat more plant matter than the Bluegill. |
| Habitat requirements | Can be found in many types of water, including lakes, rivers, and ponds. | Prefer shallow water habitats with plenty of vegetation and cover for hiding places and food sources, found mostly in the southeastern part of the United States. |
| Maximum size | Usually only reaches 8 inches at most. | Can reach up to 12 inches long. |
| Social behavior | Typically solitary species. | More social and form large breeding colonies during spawning season. |
| Nesting behavior | Create nests in shallow areas of lakes and ponds by fanning out with their tails to remove debris and sediment; males guard nests until attracting females to lay eggs. | Create nests much like bluegills do but usually at a much larger scale, often over ten square feet in size, attract nearby females to lay eggs until thousands have accumulated in one nest before mating occurs elsewhere. |
Are They the Same Type of Fish?
There’s not really an easy and short answer to this question, and it can be a little bit difficult to wrap your head around this – but we’ve tried to simplify it for you.
Bluegill fish and sunfish are not the same thing, but they are related. In fact, bluegill fish are a species of sunfish, belonging to the genus Lepomis. The term “sunfish” is a broad term that refers to a group of freshwater fish that belong to the family Centrarchidae. This family includes several different species, including the bluegill, pumpkinseed, redear sunfish, and others.
So in conclusion – bluegill are a type of sunfish. So all bluegill fish are sun fish, but not all sunfish are bluegill fish.
Overview
One main difference between bluegills and Sunfish is their availability worldwide – bluegills are mainly found in North America. In contrast, many sunfish species can be found worldwide. Additionally, Sunfish tend to be larger than bluegills when fully grown. Bluegills usually only reach 8 inches at most, while some sunfish can reach up to 12 inches long.
Regarding breeding habits, bluegills prefer shallow waters with lots of cover, such as weeds or rocks, where they can hide from predators. This is also where they will spawn each year once conditions become favorable for mating.
On the other hand, Sunfish prefer deeper water and lower temperatures for spawning. They will lay eggs on aquatic vegetation or hard surfaces instead of weaving them amongst vegetation or debris like bluegills.
In terms of diet preferences, both types of fish feed off insect larvae as well as small crustaceans such as Mysis shrimp. However, while both fish may eat plant matter on occasion, this tends to make up a much larger portion of the diet for Sunfish than it does for bluegill. This is so because of their wider mouths which allow them to feed more effectively on larger pieces of food such as insects or worms.
Lastly, due to their size differences and habitat requirements, these two types of fish should not typically be kept together in an aquarium unless given plenty of space between them so they don’t compete for food resources or get into territorial disputes.
Availability
Bluegills are most prevalent throughout North America, although they are also found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. They can be found in many types of water, including lakes, rivers, and ponds.
While Sunfish are widespread throughout North America, they are more likely to be found in the southeastern part of the United States, where temperatures are generally warmer year-round. They prefer shallow water habitats such as wetlands or low-moving rivers with plenty of vegetation and cover for hiding places and food sources.
Bluegill Vs. Sunfish: Breeding Habits
Bluegills
Bluegills are typically solitary species that only interact during the spawning season, which can vary depending on where they live. Once the water temperature reaches around 68-74°F, the males will create nests in shallow areas of lakes and ponds by fanning out with their tails to remove debris and sediment. The males then guard the nests until they attract females to lay eggs.
After hatching, many juvenile bluegills will stay in the nest for up to two weeks before swimming away with their father. Bluegills may spawn several times during the spawning season as they mature over a few years.
Sunfish
Sunfish are more social and form large breeding colonies when the spawning season arrives. They prefer shallow waters and often find sandy or muddy bottoms for optimal egg-laying conditions. The males will create nests much like bluegills do but usually at a much larger scale, often over ten square feet in size.
They then attract nearby females to lay eggs until thousands have accumulated in one nest before mating occurs elsewhere. After hatching, juvenile Sunfish remain together in schools as they transition from larvae to fries (juvenile fish) within several weeks.
Staying in large schools of fish helps them stay safe from predators early on as they mature throughout their first year of life before dispersing into smaller groups or alone again afterward.
Bluegill Vs. Sunfish: Dietary Needs
Bluegill
Bluegills are omnivorous, meaning they feed on various plants and animals for sustenance. They primarily consume small aquatic insects such as midge larvae, dragonfly larvae, daphnia, mayfly larvae, and crustaceans like crayfish.
They also occasionally eat small fish and frogs. If kept as pets, Bluegills should be fed several times daily to stay healthy. They need a balanced diet of high-quality foods like freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, brine shrimp, and other appropriate live or frozen prey items.
Sunfish
Sunfish have an omnivorous diet like bluegills, but the species feed more heavily on plant material than its cousin. They occasionally eat aquatic invertebrates like insect larvae, crustaceans, and small fish.
Sunfish are scavengers, so they will also take advantage of any food sources that might be available in their environments, such as organic detritus or dead organisms like insects or fish eggs. If you keep one as a pet it’s best to offer them a variety of foods, including occasional feedings of live or frozen prey items like daphnia or brine shrimp.
Bluegill Vs. Sunfish: Preferred Habitat
Bluegill
Bluegills are schooling fish that prefer shallow, warm, and murky waters. They are typically found in slow-moving streams, ponds, and lakes with plenty of aquatic vegetation, such as lily pads and weeds. They enjoy areas with thick covers, such as logs, rocks, and other debris, to shelter them from predators. Bluegills also prefer waters with high oxygen levels and moderate water temperatures between 68-72° F.
Sunfish
Sunfish prefer shallow waters with plenty of aquatic vegetation they can hide in. They are incredibly adaptable to habitats including rivers, marshes, swamps, ponds, and lakes. Sunfish like the same water temperature range as bluegills but can withstand a wider range of 47 to 83° F. They also prefer a more acidic pH than bluegills, usually 6 to 8pH.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this article on the Bluegill Vs. Sunfish! If you are keen for more fishy things, read our post on the Drum Fish or the Top 10 Ugly Fish in the World. If you’d like to get an overview of all of our fish content head to our fish page.
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