Mosquitofish

[govertn]

Hello,

I am a biology student who is interested in doing research on the grazing behavior of MosquitoFish. I have 6 ten gallon tanks and was wondering how many fish can be put in each of the tanks (ie: can I put 8-10 fish in each tank)? I have seen, from my research, that they need a minimum of ten gallons, but it doesn't specify how many fish can comfortably be in a 10 gallon tank. Also, I was wondering how much each fish needs to be fed - in terms of grams (ie: 1 gram of flake food per fish) and if they can just be fed once a day? From all the research I have done, they seem like very hardy fish, which can survive in a lot of different environments.

Any additional information on this would be very helpful.

Thank you

 

[_Drago_]

I'd go with 6 max in a 10 gallon. Mosquito fish tend to get larger than most similar livebearers. They really only need to be fed a pinch of flake food, and live or frozen mosquito larvae several times a week. I've kept, bred, and observed this species so I can tell you they are definitely very interesting! They're super hardy and I once had a huge colony going in an outdoor pond of mine with me barely doing anything to keep it going. As for how many times per day they should be fed, twice is best for pretty much all fish so they can have a natural way to feed and they are less likely to become bloated, but once a day is just fine

 

[EOGoldfish]

I'd go with 6 max in a 10 gallon. Mosquito fish tend to get larger than most similar livebearers. They really only need to be fed a pinch of flake food, and live or frozen mosquito larvae several times a week. I've kept, bred, and observed this species so I can tell you they are definitely very interesting! They're super hardy and I once had a huge colony going in an outdoor pond of mine with me barely doing anything to keep it going. As for how many times per day they should be fed, twice is best for pretty much all fish so they can have a natural way to feed and they are less likely to become bloated, but once a day is just fine

+1 to all of this!

I would also try to feed them peas or something green at least once a week.

 

[govertn]

Thank you!

Would you have any other suggestion for fish I could use? I already have the 6 tanks and would like to have 7-8 fish in each one. They have to be omnivores, survive in a neutral pH, and temps of around 68f. They also have to relatively cheap ($1-2) only because I have limited grant funds.

 

[_Drago_]

Endlers and wild guppies are interesting creatures as well! Feeder guppies will cost you a little under a dollar for around 5. Plus they tend to be smaller so you could fit a couple more than usual in your tank. Heating however, is highly recommended as guppies are tropical fish. There really aren't any cheaper fish that can fit in that size tank other than guppies which is why a heater is best. Small aquatic invertebrates will also work if you're interested in keeping snails and shrimp. A heavily planted 10 gallon can comfortably house over 100 small shrimp!

 

[EOGoldfish]

Try least killifish! They are a native and a live bearer! A really cool fish! They are smaller so you could fit more in your tank. They aren't quite as common as mosquitofish so you may have to order them online from aquabid or some other site. They are a really awesome fish!

 

[govertn]

Thank you so much for all the help and information!! I appreciate it so much!

 

[govertn]

One last question. How often do you suggest I clean the tanks? Should 50% of the water be replaced every week?

 

[UntimelyLord]

Yes, 50% partial water change every week sounds good to be safe. I recommend you read up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already. I'd recommend doing "Fish-less Cycling" (cycling the tank before you add fish) because in a tank that is cycling with fish in it, you'll likely have problems with fish deaths and/or unusual behaviors that are going to skew your results. Fishless Cycling and here's a Guide to starting freshwater aquarium

 

[govertn]

Thank you for the links. I have already set up that tanks and started to cycle each one and will hopefully, add the fish in about a weeks time.

 

[EOGoldfish]

Water changes also tend to help fish and plants grow faster and stay healthy so 50% weekly sound good. That is generally the amount most hobbyists do.