[2] The banded pygmy sunfish are capable of retaining their juvenile characteristics while they are sexually mature; that is to say that they are neotenous.

[5][7] The banded pygmy sunfish is a small fish that can live in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and even swamps.

They have historically been residents of the Mississippi River drainage system and Gulf coastal plain region.

It prefers to live in slower to still water conditions with higher sedimentation content, hence the swamps and ponds.

Stomach contents of 46 individual banded pygmy sunfish (26 of which were spawning adults) collected at Mound, Louisiana, were examined for food identification.

The main food identified included insect larvae (mostly from the family Chironomidae), small crustaceans, and snail eggs.

Lastly, no other fish species or banded pygmy sunfish larvae were found in the stomach contents.

The only other notable fish that affect E. zonatum are live-bearers (Poeciliidae), grass pickerel (Esox americanus), and bowfins (Amia calva).

It provides dense plant matter (especially Ceratophyllum) for cover against predators and as a laying area of snail eggs.

Thus, the human development of wetland habitat not only affects Elassomatidae, but several other species of fish and insects, as well.

If not enough ceratophyllum or similar vegetation is available, then eggs are scattered out on rocky bottoms in still water.

This species of pygmy sunfish can spawn two or three times in a year as determined by ova regrowth.

Protein from the yolk enters the body through diffusion into the blood stream until the mouth is fully developed.

The time it takes for newly hatched larvae to mature into full-grown adults is on average 100 days.

The male would begin by approaching the desired female very slowly, if she stays and does not swim away, he will begin to "dance" erratically; meaning he will swim toward the spawning vegetation in an up-and-down pattern while raising and lowering his dorsal and anal fins, and alternately flexing and opening his pelvic fins.

The male will then nip at the female's genital region while she is positioning herself fin the vegetation at the spawning site.

This will last for two to three minutes and then the male will align himself with the female and, while both fish are in the upright position, the sperm and egg are extruded allowing for fertilization to occur.