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The Pumpkinseed, a member of the Sunfish family, prefers small lakes, bays and weeded areas. It commonly grows to a length of 18-23 cm. The Pumpkinseed’s diet consists of insects, small fish and crustations. It can be recognized from its blue-green stripes on its head, the 7-8 bands on its sides and its long, pointed pectoral fins.
Spawning occurs in late Spring or early Summer, with the building of a nest inside a colony of 4-15 nests. The female releases eggs and the male then fertilizes them. He also aggresively stands guard over the nest. The average life span in the wild is 6-8 years old, and maturity is reached at age 2.
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