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Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
Family: Poeciliidae
📍 Eastern USA & Mexico (widely introduced)
Mosquitofish are exceptionally hardy, adaptable livebearers that have been deliberately introduced worldwide for mosquito larvae control. They consume prodigious quantities of surface larvae and can survive conditions — extreme heat, cold, salinity, low oxygen — lethal to most aquarium fish. Note that they are aggressive fin nippers and should not be housed with fancy-finned fish; they are best suited to utility or outdoor pond use rather than display aquariums.
Keeping this species
- diet
- Omnivore – mosquito larvae, flake food, algae, small invertebrates
- breeding
- Prolific livebearer
- lifespan
- 1–3 years
- max size
- 7 cm females; 4 cm males
- tank size
- 10 gallons minimum; outdoor ponds suitable
- temperament
- Aggressive fin nipper; not suitable for community tanks with fancy-finned fish
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Tips from the community 💡
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Tanks keeping this 🐟
Kept by 1 hobbyistCommunity tanks featuring Mosquitofish.
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–9.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <40 ppm
- hardness
- 5–30 dGH
- temperature
- 39–95°F (4–35°C)
Natural Habitat Temperature
64°F — 82°F seasonal range · (Jan low, Jul high)