It might have been better named the longear as its opercle flap or ear is considerably longer than the opercle flap of the longear sunfish. The lower margin of the flap is usually pale. The redbreast is one of our larger sunfish, occasionally attaining weights of one pound. In typical sunfish fashion, the redbreast spawns in beds of colonies on sand or gravel where the water is one to three feet deep. After hatching, the young may remain schooled for several weeks before scattering.
Adults feed on insects, snails, crayfish, and small fish.
Distribution Redbreast sunfish were introduced into Texas from its original range, the streams of the Eastern U.S. that drain into the Atlantic Ocean. This species now occurs throughout the eastern and southern parts of Texas as far west as some streams of the Pecos drainage. At one time, this sunfish was raised by state hatcheries and widely distributed. Good populations of large redbreast, however, can be found in the clear streams of central Texas, primarily in the San Marcos area. .