Menu
Home
Setting up an Aquarium
Guide to getting healthy fish
Food for your tropical fish
FAQ
Tropical Plants
Fish Diseases

Fish Profiles
The Livebearers
The Characins
The Labyrinths
The Cyprinidae(Danios etc.)
The Cobitidae
The Cichlids
 

GAMBUSIA

Scientific name: Gambusia affinis

Origin: Lakes and other freshwater environments in Florida, USA.

Size: An adult female can reach a size of 1.5 inches (3.8 centimetres), while the male stay around 0.75 inches (1.9 centimetres).

Colour: Most Gambusia specimens are light brown or have greyish-brow coloration.

Temperament: The Gambusia can be a bit aggressive, but it is usually a quite peaceful fish.

Feeding: As its alternative name suggests, this fish loves to eat mosquito larvae.

Care: Gambusia is very easy to care for.

Water conditions: The water temperature can be from 15 to 30 degrees C, but if you want to breed your Gambusia you should keep it around 24 degrees C.

Gender: The anal fin has developed into a visible reproductive organ on the male Gambusia. This organ is called the gonopodium.

Breeding: As mentioned above, the temperature should be kept around 24 degrees C to promote breeding.

Additional comments: Even though the Gambusia is very easy to care for in aquariums, it can be hard to find in pet shops.