Honey Blue-eye (Pseudomugil mellis) Care Guide
Pseudomugil mellis is a small honey-coloured blue-eye from acidic, tannin-stained wallum swamps of southeastern Queensland, assessed as Endangered.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pseudomugil mellis, the honey blue-eye, is a small fish of the family Pseudomugilidae, described in 1982 by Allen and Ivantsoff. Wikipedia reports a largest recorded male of 3.8 cm, with typical adults of 2.5-3 cm. It is a pale honey-coloured fish with blue eyes and cheeks; males show black submarginal bands with white margins on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins, while females have clear fins.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pseudomugilidae
- Genus: Pseudomugil
- Scientific name: Pseudomugil mellis
Habitat
Found in two disjunct wallum heathland areas of southeastern Queensland, from a swamp near Rockhampton and from lakes and streams between Tin Can Bay and Tibrogargan Creek north of Brisbane. It inhabits slow-moving, mildly acidic water (pH 4.4-6.8) that is either clear or stained with tannin.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 20-26 °C (68-79 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.0
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- School size: 8 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
Diet
Wikipedia reports that algae form the bulk of the diet, with insects and other aquatic invertebrates making up the remainder; the species generally forages at the water surface. In aquaria it accepts small dry foods and fine frozen or live items.
Compatibility
A peaceful, top-dwelling species that forms schools of roughly 25-70 individuals in the wild. Keep in groups of eight or more, ideally with other small, calm blue-eyes; avoid boisterous tankmates.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Endangered (assessed 2019), reflecting habitat loss in its restricted wallum range.
Breeding Honey Blue-eye (Pseudomugil mellis)
Overview
Pseudomugil mellis is a small Australian blue-eye from wallum heathland in southern Queensland, found in tannin-stained creeks and coastal dune lakes from around Brisbane northward. FishBase gives a maximum standard length of 3.5 cm, and Wikipedia notes the largest recorded male at 3.8 cm. It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN and as Vulnerable under Australia's national legislation, so captive breeding has conservation value. The fish forms schools of 25-70 individuals.
Sexing
Males have distinct black submarginal bands and white margins on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins, whereas females have transparent fins. Both sexes show the blue eyes and blue cheeks that give the genus its name.
Conditioning
Females mature early, at about three months or 1.5-2 cm standard length. The species mainly eats algae supplemented with insects and other aquatic invertebrates, foraging at the surface, so condition the group on small varied foods before spawning.
Breeding Setup
- The species spawns in submerged vegetation, so provide fine-leaved plants or spawning mops.
- FishBase gives a pH range of 6.0-8.0 and hardness of 5-12 dH, matching its tannin-stained habitat.
- FishBase lists a temperature range of 24-28 degrees C.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Males establish territories where spawning occurs, and spawning takes place from spring through summer. Females release 40-125 eggs over 7-9 days, generally depositing them at the base of aquatic vegetation; the demersal, adhesive eggs attach to plants rather than being released all at once.
Egg & Fry Care
The spawning medium can be moved to a separate tank to protect the eggs and fry. Following the pattern of the genus, the small fry begin on infusoria-type foods before moving onto free-swimming foods such as brine shrimp nauplii and microworm.
Common Challenges
Soft, tannin-stained water within the FishBase range suits this blackwater species. As an Endangered fish threatened by habitat loss and invasive species, keeping pure, well-recorded captive lines is valuable, and the small fry need tiny first foods and clean water.