Pseudomugil gertrudae, commonly known as "Spotted Blue Eye", is a small fish native to the Aru Islands, New Guinea and northern Australia. The 'Aru II' variety offered here is a specialist breeding strain, renowned for its blue eyes, bright colours and small size.

Behaviour & care

• A peaceful, gregarious species, it thrives best in a school in a well-appointed aquarium.
• Ideal for nano-aquariums or planted tanks, but requires stable water quality.
• Highly compatible with other small fish and even some invertebrates, provided they are not aggressive.

Diet

• Omnivorous: accepts quality flakes, but particularly appreciates micro-worms, artemia and fine frozen foods to enhance its colours.
• Feed in small quantities several times a day to avoid over-nutrition and keep the water clean.

Water quality

• Recommended temperature: 22 - 28°C.
• Recommended pH: 6.0 - 7.5; low to moderate conductivity.
• Very good filtration and oxygenation: this fish appreciates clear, stable, well-planted water.

Decor & environment

• Prefer dark soil, floating leafy plants and/or mosses to recreate its natural habitat.
• Minimum recommended volume: for a shoal of 8-10 individuals, a tank of around 60-80 L is effective, but larger tanks are ideal for optimising behaviour.
• Moderate lighting, shaded areas welcome; only introduce into a well-cycled tank.

Maintenance sheet

Aquabota tip

To get the best out of this superb Aru II variant, choose a dark background that will bring out its blue eyes and metallic highlights. Keep it in a real school so that it displays its natural behaviour: active swimming, courtship between males, bright reflections. Make sure the water quality is excellent (regular changes of around 20% per week) and avoid keeping it with fish that are too big or too fast, which could stress it.