Blue Eye Gertrudae Pseudomugil

The spotted blue-eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae) is a tiny rainbowfish relative from the slow, tannin-stained creeks and swamps of northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is a very small fish with a luminous blue eye ring and speckled, feather-like fins that males flare at one another through the day. Colour is subtle in the bag and builds once the fish have settled in.

Aquarium care

• Keep a group of six or more, with several males, so display behaviour develops.
• Warm, well filtered water kept clean and stable; they dislike neglected tanks.
• Gentle flow, dense planting and some floating cover overhead.
• Feed small foods: fine flake, crushed micro pellets, frozen or live daphnia and baby brine shrimp.
• Use a lid. Small surface-oriented fish jump.
• Short-lived compared with larger fish, so expect a couple of seasons rather than many years.

They suit nano and planted aquariums where nothing large or fast will outcompete them at feeding time. Good company includes small rasboras, pygmy corydoras, otocinclus and adult dwarf shrimp. Avoid barbs, larger tetras and anything that feeds boisterously.

Stock rotates, and local pickup is available at our Lethbridge store. See more in rainbowfish.