Enneacanthus & Elassoma Program, July 5, Churchville PA

Shameless plug for my upcoming talk at Bucks County Aquar Soc meeting on Thurs July 5, approx 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. Field trips following on Fri & Sat in PA and NJ. (There are no wild Elassoma in PA or NJ but we'll hopeflly find all three Enneacanthus species). Comparisons to tropical fish might seem silly to NANFA, but I find this approach useful for engaging tropical-keepers new to natives. This is the blurb I sent to BCAS for their newsletter:

"Jewels in the Darkness: Blackwater Dwarf Sunfish (Enneacanthus) and Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma)"

The beautiful Dwarf Sunfishes (Bluespotted, Banded, and Blackbanded Sunfish) of the eastern USA are the native equivalent of South American and West African blackwater dwarf cichlids, with gold, green and blue iridescent spangles that glow in the tea-colored water of their native habitats. In the early days of aquarium keeping the Blackbanded Sunfish was the "Poor Man's Angelfish" based on its similar appearance and behavior. Collectively the Dwarf Sunfishes range from NH to MS, and the acidic swamps of southern New Jersey are home to all three species. The Pygmy Sunfishes (genus Elassoma, seven species), famous for their diminutive size and wild fin-fluttering dance, occur from NC to TX and are reminiscent of Cynolebias killifish and Badis. The Dwarf Sunfishes and Pygmy Sunfishes are all great aquarium fish, tolerate temperatures from 40 to 85 F, and breed readily in captivity. Gerald Pottern of the Raleigh Aquarium Society (RAS) and North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) will discuss the natural history and aquarium care and breeding of these little beauties at the BCAS meeting on Thursday, and then show us how to find, identify, and safely transport them (and other native fish) during our Fri-Sat field trips.