The greatest populations of pumpkinseed sunfish are in the northeastern region of the United States as they are rarely found in the south-central or southwestern region of the continent. Pumpkinseeds typically live in warm, calm lakes, ponds, and pools of creeks and small rivers with plenty of vegetation. They tend to stay near the shore and can be found in numbers within shallow and protected areas. In Europe, they are considered an invasive species because they could outcompete existing fish.
Fun Fact The Pumpkinseed has 10 to 11 spines along the dorsal fin, and three additional spines on the anal fin. These spines are very sharp, which aid the fish in defense against predators.