Forktail Blue-eye

The Forktail Blue-eye originally comes from Papua New Guinea and is a fish that likes to move around quite a bit. Its natural habitat includes clear rainforest streams with moderate currents and dense underwater vegetation. Its yellow-lined fins provide a nice color contrast to its bright blue eyes and bluish-silver body coloring. What is particularly interesting to observe is the courtship and display behavior of the males, who then present themselves with their fins wide-spread.

Care in the aquarium

Due to its need for movement, the Forktail Blue-eye, which can grow up to 6 cm in size, requires an aquarium that holds at least 80 liters. Dense planting that leaves enough space for swimming and a group with at least 8 or preferably 10 members of the same species contribute to the well-being of the pretty blue-eye. The group should consist of more females than males. The aquarium water should be clean, soft to medium hard and relatively warm with an optimal temperature between 24 and 27°C. Socializing the peaceful Forktail Blue-eye with other peaceful fish is possible without any problems.

Feeding

The Pseudomugil furcatus, which feeds primarily carnivorously in nature, particularly likes to eat live and frozen food of the appropriate size in the aquarium. Small commercial fish food is also accepted. It is optimal to feed as variedly as possible.

Sexual characteristics and breeding

Like almost all representatives of the genus Pseudomugil, the Forktail Blue-eye shows pronounced sexual dimorphism, i.e. visually easily recognizable sexual differences. Even though both sexes of the fork-tailed blue-eye have at least partially yellow-colored fins, in the male these are much more intensely colored and the dorsal fin is longer. Females also remain slightly smaller than their male counterparts. Differentiation between the sexes is possible without any problems from around 6 months of age. If the water parameters are right, breeding in the aquarium is usually not very difficult. The willingness to spawn can be stimulated by feeding more live food. The female attaches the eggs to plants or the substrate using adhesive threads. The young fish hatch after about 2-3 weeks and can then be fed with infusoria, dust food, copepods and newly hatched Artemia nauplii.