Edit Gambusia affinis
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Name
Scientific name
Gambusia affinis
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Poeciliidae
Common names
Western Mosquitofish
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, is a livebearer native to Mexico and the southern USA. It has been introduced to over 60 countr…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
40mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Not recorded
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 18–27°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
5–30dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
Not recorded
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Mexico, United States
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Mexico and southern USA. Thriving populations exist in over 60 countries worldwide, where it has usually been introduced as a form of biological mosquito contr…
Habitat
Over its natural range, it is usually found in shallow, heavily-vegetated marginal areas of still or sluggish bodies of water. It can also be found in brackish…
Aquarium size
A single pair of these can be kept in a tank as small as 12" x 8" x 8" (30cm x 20cm x 20cm) - 12.5 litres.
Maintenance
A gently-filtered, heavily planted setup suits it best. The plants will not only make the fish less shy, but will give any fry somewhere to hide from the adult…
Water conditions
Temperature: 18 – 27 °C pH: 6.0-8.0 Hardness: 5-30°H
Diet
Unfussy and omnivorous, it will accept most foods offered. It's particularly fond of small live or frozen varieties such as brine shrimp or Daphnia, and the di…
Behaviour and compatibility
Not a good choice for the community tank. It's a hyper-competitive species, and will steal food from tankmates and intimidate smaller fish. It's also a notorio…
Sexual dimorphism
The male possesses a gonopodium and is much smaller than the female.
Reproduction
Very easy. It's nigh on impossible to stop this species breeding if both sexes are present in an aquarium. Water parameters are unimportant, provided they are …
Notes
For many years G. affinis was thought to be the same species as the Eastern Mosquitofish, G. holbrooki, but has since been given distinct species status. They …
References
References
No references