.............................Mosquito Fish
Other names:...........Gambusia Origin:......................Central American brackish waters Max size:..................2.3" PH:............-..............7.0-7.5 Temperature:...........50-80 F. Min tank size:..........20 gallons Food:.........................live foods |
The Mosquito Fish has been introduced throughout the United States and
many other countries. It has been placed here to control mosquito populations by
devouring their aquatic larva. This species originated in Central America
and some places in southern Mexico.
This fish looks for all the world like an enlarged guppy which is all
it really is. Both sexes are colorless, and the female is, as in all
livebearers, much bigger than the male both in length and girth. The mouth
is superior and the scales are large. Parts of the body are transparent.
The male has a modified anal-fin which acts as a gonopodium. Overall
this fish is a typical livebearer.
To get mosquito fish, you can collect them by simply sweeping any net throug
shallow pond water with plentiful vegetation. Usually you will end up with fry.
In order to get adults you will have to sweep a larger net, or seine through
deeper water with vegetation that is growing out of the water. Mosquito
fish are easy to spot as they produce small circular ripples wherever they
are abundant.
The best way to keep mosquito fish is in a small, warm, garden pond which is
overwhelmed with vegetation and insects. In these conditions, mosquito
fish reproduce like mad! Once you have a substantial population you can
use them as feeders for other fish or distribute them to other bodies
of water overwhelmed with aquatic insect larva. They will eat all matter of foods, especially aquatic larva. Water conditions aren't
critical, but most mosquito fish are found in slightly salty water that is
hard. Most individuals adapt to pure fresh water just fine. Temperature
isn't a factor either, as they can survive temperatures from 40 to 90 degrees F.
They are best kept by themselves as they will nip the fins of other fish
the same size, and eat smaller fish.
Breeding is easy in ponds. As long as you start out with a population
of more than 50 mosquito fish, have plenty of vegetation, warmth, and
bugs, reproduction will occur very shortly. Sexual distinction is also
very easy. The male has a gonopodium, a long strand extending from the
back of the anal-fin, and the female is girthy, large, and has a distinct
dark spot in the abdomen above the rear of the anal-fin.
Mosquito fish are among the most useful and versatile fish of all. Easy
to produce, and raise, they eat their own weight in mosquito larva a day,
thus eliminating many diseases such as malaria. Not only this, they are
nutritious feeder fish and carry little disease because of their hardiness.
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