Spotted blue-eye
Kingdom
Phylum
Genus
SPECIES
Pseudomugil gertrudae
Length
4
1
cminch
cm inch 

The spotted blue-eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae) is a species of fish in the family Pseudomugilidae. It is native to Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. It adapts readily to captivity and can be kept in a small freshwater aquarium.

Appearance

The spotted blue-eye has an elongated body generally up to 2.5 cm (1 in), or rarely 3 cm (1.2 in) in length. The overall colour is transparent to pale silver-white, sometimes with tints of tan or yellow. The rear half of the body is marked with three horizontal black lines, breaking up into spots anteriorly. The fins are yellow with black markings. Body size, colour and shape vary across its range: fish from the Aru Islands are larger, those from the vicinity of Darwin have orange pectoral fins, while fish from Goanna Lagoon in Arnhem Land have an orange body.

Distribution

Geography

The spotted blue-eye is found in rivers in southern New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and the Northern Territory and Cape York Peninsula (Queensland) in Australia. Their habitat includes small slow-moving streams, often less than 60 cm (2 ft) deep, pools, and Melaleuca or Pandanus swamps. They have been found in water of pH 3.68 to 9.4.

Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Though its diet has been little-studied, algae and small invertebrates make up a large part of it.

Mating Habits

Though little is known of its reproductive behaviour in the wild, the spotted blue-eye breeds readily in captivity.

References

1. Spotted blue-eye Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_blue-eye
2. Spotted blue-eye on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/122906064/123382261

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