This cute blue eye belongs to our standard offer; the animals are bred ones from Indonesia. Recently we received some very nice specimens. This “no name” variant stays a bit smaller (around 3 cm) than the popular variant from the Aru Islands (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/pseudomugil-gertrudae-aru-ii-xl-2/), which reaches almost 4 cm length.
Pseudomugil gertrudae has a relatively wide distribution in northern Australia, but does not occur uniformly everywhere, being scattered. In addition, it is found on many small islands and on Papua New Guinea. Since the different populations have no contact with each other, there are many subtle differences in coloration. However, this is probably also related to the respective biotopes. The measured water values in waters with P. gertrudae vary enormously: Temperature: 12 – 34 °C, pH 3,7 – 9,4, conductance 12 – 650 µS/cm, total hardness 0 – 18° dH, carbonate hardness 0 – 10° dH.
From this you can see: they are tough little creatures! In nature they usually live only one year. But in the aquarium they can live up to four years. During the day the males are continuously busy with courtship acts, flapping their fins like a butterfly with its wings. From time to time they also stretch their fins to the breaking point and sail around their mate or a rival. It is a great pleasure to watch the fish.
In the aquarium are continuous spawners that lay a few eggs a day – up to 10 or 12 per female, but usually less. The eggs are deposited in fine aquatic plants or artificial spawning substrates (spawning mobs). The parents do not care about the eggs or the fry, which hatch after 4-9 days (depending on water temperature).
For our customers: the fish have code 446002 on our stock list. Please note that we supply only wholesale.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
