In Illinois, the range of the bantam sunfish is considered to be limited to the Wolf Lake region of Union County.

[13] One study of the gut contents of wild-caught bantam sunfish revealed a diverse diet dominated by gastropods, odonate larvae, and micro-crustaceans.

The vegetated margins of these environments are dominated by spatterdock, American lotus, broadleaf arrowhead, coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), and duckweed (Lemna spp.)

[9] Environmental degradation caused by anthropogenic disturbance, particularly drainage of wetlands, is probably the greatest threat to the persistence of bantam sunfish in the wild.

[14] Rapid population growth in the southern portions of the United States poses multiple threats to aquatic biota as the development of land and water resources continues to accelerate.

[13] One of the few accounts is from Robinson;[16] observations were made in a roadside pool in Saline County, Arkansas, where bantam sunfish had recently spawned in depressions in the mud and leaf litter substrate.

[13] Limited information on the spawning and nesting habits of bantam sunfish in the wild make it near impossible to determine if populations are reproducing at a sustainable level.