Nest-Associating Minnows Prefer Occupying Longear Sunfish Nests Over Green Sunfish Nests

Many species rely on interspecific interactions during various parts of their life history, including when breeding, acquiring food, and seeking shelter. Here, I make an observation of minnows choosing to associate with one nest-building species over another. I found that when Lepomis megalotis (Longear Sunfish) and L. cyanellus (Green Sunfish) build adjacent nests, minnow nest-associate species were more abundant on the nests of Longear Sunfish. In addition, Longear Sunfish spent more time chasing minnows off their nests than Green Sunfish did. While minnow–sunfish nest-association behavior is well documented, there is little natural history information regarding host preferences. This observation is relevant in setting up hypotheses and formulating questions about these interactions.