Sunfish is among the fresh water fish family comprising on renown species like crappies, black basses, flier, rock basses, true and banded sunfishes etc. Sunfish belongs to Centrarchidae fish family.
Mostly, perch and sunfish are interchangeably used as misnomers. Although, both of these belongs to different fish families. Perch belongs to Percidae fish family comprising species of walleye, darters, yellow perch. However, the confusing matter is using perch name for several other fish families’ species. As the white perch belongs to temperate bass Moronidae fish family consisting white and striped Basses. Similarly, surfperch is a marine fish and belongs to Embiotocidae fish family.
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A little about Sunfish
Sunfish has eight major genres including crappie, rock bass, flier, banded sunfish, mud sunfish, sacramento perch, black bass and sunfishes. These eight genres possess almost thirty-four living species. The well-known species which are generally known as sunfish are black crappie, largemouth bass, white crappie, smallmouth bass etc.
Some of the famous species of sunfish are as under: –
Orange Spotted Sunfish have 7-15 centimeters length. Reddish bellies and lower fins, dark earlobes with cream color borders. Large mouth and long gill flap. Orange spots on every side along with 10 spines on dorsal fin.
Longear Sunfish have olive green and brown coloration. White and orange belly, olive green fins while orange / red head with blue stripes and spots. Longear sunfish have 3 anal spines, 6-13 dorsal fin spines, 10-11 dorsal rays, 5-7 cheek scales and 8-10 anal rays.
Green Sunfish has blue or green patterns on back, yellowish body patterns and staggered blue stripes on gill and head sides. Ear plate, anal and dorsal fins have dark spots. Large snout and mouth. It has 3-12 cm length, 10 dorsal spines, 13-14 pectoral fin rays.
Pumpkinseed Sunfishes have pumpkinseed shape along with speckled sides blue, yellow and orange coloration. Yellow or orange belly and breast, blue stripes, amber pectoral fins and black dorsal fins.
Redbreast Sunfishes have moderate and deep compressed body with blue or green coloration. Yellowish breast, lower parts and belly. Number of vertical bars on body. They have 10-11 dorsal fins spines, 9-10 anal fin rays, 13-15 pectoral fin rays.
Redear Sunfish is also known as stumpknocker, sun perch, cherry gill and shellcracker. It has dark green and yellow coloration along with vertical stripes from dorsal fins to down. It has larger size from 7.9 -9.4 inches. It has small mouth in relation with body size while upper jaw extended to eye front.
Bluegill Sunfish is one of the famous sunfish species. It has moderate body and length from 6-16 inches. It is commonly fresh water fish located everywhere and best choice among hunters and food. It has different colorful coloration like other species. It has small mouth in relation with body size.
Sunfish may survive for more than usual 10 years of life while perch fish can live from 7-12 years normally. Usually, perch name is confusingly used with number of different fishes.
A little about Perch
A beautiful fish with green brown back along with number of vertical dark stripes on upper side. Perch is derived from Greek word “perke” meaning shape. Perch belongs to Percidae fish family. Percidae is among larger fish families. Percidae family has more than 200 fish species. It’s a freshwater fish. Common and yellow perches are two famous species. Perch fishes have compressed body, 2 dorsal fins, anal spine, 5 soft rays and 1 spine.
Perch fish is one of the finest panfish and renowned in worldwide restaurants. Perch is also very common to sport fishing as well.
The Perch fish has following famous species: –
Common Perch is also known as European Perch, Redfin Perch and English Perch as well. It has greenish upper side with vertical dark bars while orange and reddish lower side and fins. It has 5-9 vertical dark stripes. Its length is up to 60 cm or 24 inches. It has lifespan of up to 22 years.
Balkhash Perch is much similar as European Perch as it has comparable size and features to that.
Yellow Perch is overwhelmed with yellow color with less reddish fins. Its length is about 40 cm or 15 inches. It has 6-8 Yellow dark bars. Its length 10-25 cm or 4 -10 inches. Its life span is limited up to 11 years.
Similarities Between Perch and Sunfish
There are several similarities between Perch and Sunfish. But the major similarities are as under: –
- Generally, the both types of fishes are called interchangeably.
- The both fishes belongs to fresh water fishes.
- The both fishes are found in most parts of the United States of America.
- The both fishes are very famous for hunting and food.
- The both fishes have highest demand in restaurants and take away food outlets.
- The both fishes are very beautiful and colorful that makes them attractive.
Differences Between Perch and Sunfish
There are several differences between Perch and Sunfish. However, some of them are as described below:
- Both fish belong to different fish families.
- Sunfish belongs to Centrarchidae fish family while Perch belongs to Percidae fish family.
- Centrarchidae families have almost 34 species while Percidae have more than 200 species.
- Sunfish have 13 well known species while Perch have 3 well known species.
- Every species has different color, bars and stripes on different parts of the body to make them distinct from each other.
- Sunfish and Perch are different in size and length even with different species.
- Perch fishes are larger in length than Sunfish.
- Perch fishes have more life span than Sunfish. Sunfish have maximum 12 years of life span while Perch have up to 22 years of life.
- Sunfish and Perch have different number of fins, spines, dorsal fins etc.
- Perches dominate Sunfish as common people most of the time call Sunfish as Perch.
- The both fishes have some different production and reproduction process and standards.
- The both fishes have different and distinct taste and food choice.