Green sunfish are small, tough fish with greenish-blue scales and bright colors on their fins. They may be little, but they’ve got a big personality—and they’re not shy.
All over the U.S., including California, often in warm ponds and slow streams. People brought them to new places for fishing, but now they’re considered invasive in many areas.
It eats bugs, fish eggs, tiny fish—even its own kind sometimes. It’s aggressive, not afraid of much, and will take over a pond if no one stops it.
They bully native fish
and take over their homes.
They eat baby frogs and salamanders,
including endangered ones.
They’re tough to get rid of
once they move in.
Even though they’re fun to catch, green sunfish can mess up the balance of nature in a pond or stream. That means fewer frogs, fewer native fish, and less healthy water overall.
