TheGolden Blue-Eye Rainbowfish, scientifically known as Pseudomugil gertrudae, is a charming and petite Australian native fish that would be a wonderful addition to a well-planted aquarium. They are prized for their delicate beauty and interesting fin movements.
Appearance:
- They have a slender, somewhat translucent body.
- Their base colour is typically a pale yellow to golden, often with a silvery sheen.
- The fins are what truly make them stand out. They are usually yellowish or golden with striking black markings and bright blue edges, particularly on the second dorsal and anal fins.
- Their eyes are a captivating bright blue, hence their common name.
- Males are generally more colourful and have more elaborate and elongated fins than females. The black markings on their fins are often more pronounced.
Natural Habitat:
- Golden Blue-Eye Rainbows are native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea.
- In Australia, they are found in coastal freshwater swamps, lagoons, and slow-flowing streams with dense vegetation, including areas in Queensland.
Aquarium Care:
- Minimum Tank Size: Due to their small size and schooling nature, a tank of at least 40-60 litres (around 10-15 gallons) is suitable for a small school. A longer tank is preferable as they are active swimmers.
- Water Parameters:
- Temperature: 22-28°C (72-82°F). A heater might be necessary during cooler months to maintain stability.
- pH: 6.0-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral is ideal).
- Hardness: Soft to moderately soft water (50-150 ppm or 3-8 dGH) is best. While they can adapt to slightly harder water, softer water often brings out their colours more vibrantly. You might want to check your local tap water parameters in Caboolture.
- Aquascaping: A densely planted tank is essential to mimic their natural habitat and provide hiding places. Fine-leaved plants like Java moss, Riccia, and Cabomba are excellent choices. Floating plants can also help to diffuse the light, which they prefer. Driftwood and leaf litter can further enhance the environment.
- Water Flow: They prefer gentle water flow. Strong currents should be avoided.
- Lighting: Moderate lighting is suitable.
- Social Behaviour: Golden Blue-Eyes are peaceful and active schooling fish. They should be kept in groups of at least six individuals, but larger groups of 8-10 or more will make them feel more secure and display more natural behaviours, including the males' subtle fin-flashing displays.
- Temperament: They are very peaceful and make excellent community fish with other small, non-aggressive species.
- Diet: They are omnivores and require small-sized foods. Offer a high-quality crushed flake food or small pellets as their staple diet, supplemented with live or frozen foods like baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and micro worms.
Breeding:
- Breeding Golden Blue-Eye Rainbows in a home aquarium is achievable.
- A separate breeding tank with fine-leaved plants or spawning mops and soft, slightly acidic water is recommended.
- The adults can be conditioned with small live and frozen foods.
- They are egg scatterers and will lay small adhesive eggs among the plants or spawning media over several days.
- The adults should be removed after spawning to prevent them from eating the eggs.
- The eggs hatch in about 7-10 days, depending on the temperature.
- The fry are very small and require infusoria or liquid fry food initially, followed by newly hatched baby brine shrimp.
