Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis
The Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis or blue-eyed honeycup naturally inhabits rivers in north-eastern Australia. The fish can be found in wetlands and on shoals densely overgrown with aquatic vegetation and sandy bottoms. The water in these areas is often brownish in colour due to high concentrations of tannins.
The fish are able to tolerate large variations in salinity. Such changes may occur on a daily or seasonal basis depending on the area and the daily tides. For example, the water becomes hyper-saline during drought and then returns to normal parameters after the onset of the rainy season.
Male Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis have a honey-coloured yellow-orange body colour. Their tail plumage and fins are black and white edged. Males are more colourful and larger than females, and their unpaired fins are very broad. Females are generally unassuming, their coloration is dominated by pale gray shades. The maximum size of the fish is 3-3.5 cm.
The Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis is a calm, peaceful fish. Keep these fish should preferably in a species aquarium or at least in conjunction with a commensurate size and not too active fish. Honey blueeye gregarious fish, so they need to contain a group of at least 8-10 individuals, but ideally - more. Keeping the fish in a flock not only makes them much less fearful, but also leads to their more natural behaviour. Also, the males will then display bright colours and interesting behaviour as a result of competing with each other for the attention of the females. An aquarium with a volume of at least 80 liters is suitable for keeping the fish.
Water parameters: temperature 21-31° C, hardness dH 5-20°, pH 7,0-8,5. Need filtration, aeration and weekly replacement of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh. It is also advisable to create a small water current in the aquarium, e.g. by draining the water filter along the back wall of the aquarium.
Opinions are divided as to whether the fish need salt or not, although the consensus is that the fish are more active, fecund and live much longer when kept in brackish conditions. The exact specific gravity is not decisive, given the adaptability of the fish, but a value of 1.001 to 1.010 is generally recommended. Many aquarists use simpler measurements, such as adding 1 teaspoon of sea salt per 10 liters of aquarium water.
The decoration of an aquarium largely depends on personal taste. Most living plants are unlikely to survive in brackish water, although artificial alternatives can certainly be used. Thin branches can be used to imitate the roots of mangroves, which fish are often associated with in nature. Stones and snags can also be added to the aquarium if desired.
Do not introduce fish into an aquarium which has not yet established biological equilibrium, and be sure to use an aquarium cover as they sometimes jump out of the water.
Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis feeds mainly on zooplankton, phytoplankton and invertebrates in nature. Under aquarium conditions, the fish are fed a variety of flake and pelleted food, live and frozen artemia, daphnia and bloodworms. The food is given 2 times a day.
Reproduction
The Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis shows no parental concern for future offspring and in any case will not refuse to eat its own eggs and fry.
Spawning usually takes place at temperatures close to the upper limit of the range suggested above. Females are capable of laying several eggs daily for several days. The eggs attach to aquatic vegetation or are laid directly on the substrate.
The male can mate with several females during the same day, and spawning usually takes place during daylight hours.
In the wild, spawning is seasonal and coincides with the start of the rainy season, around October to December, when there is plenty of food and aquatic vegetation is at its most lush. Under aquarium conditions, spawning can occur at regular intervals, provided the water temperature is in the range 26-30° C.
There are two basic methods for breeding fish in an aquarium.
The first involves isolating a small group of 6-8 individuals or one male and 2-3 females in an aquarium with a sponge water filter and spawning medium in the form of nylon threads or aquatic moss. The aquarium is checked daily for eggs, and if there are any, they are immediately transferred to a separate aquarium for incubation.
An alternative is to keep a group of adults in a larger aquarium with numerous plants and stones. In this case, too, will be able to obtain offspring, but it will be much smaller than in the first option.
Incubation period is 14-21 days, depending on temperature, and hatched fry from the first days of life are able to eat Artemia nauplii, micro worms and other small food.
Life expectancy of the Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis in the wild is about 1 year. Under aquarium conditions, their lifespan reaches 1.5-2 years.
