# Mosquito fish / gambusia



## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

Hey guys, well I'm not sure if any of you have heard of the Gambusia aka "mosquito fish" but I just have a few questions about them. I'm from Australia and here it is illegal to keep, breed or sell mosquitofish and thats for the reason that there are freakish amounts of them in the wild and they are taking over by eating native fish and frogs because they're quite aggressive. So to my questions:
1. Is it common to keep mosquitofish in the aquarium in other parts of the world?
2. If so, how much do they cost each from a pet shop?
I'm just wondering since their are so many here in Australia and they don't seem like bad aquarium fish even though i wouldn't keep them (because they're illegal to have.) Thanks anyone.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

I've not kept this species myself, and it is not in our profiles as a distinct species, but I thought you might be interested in the information on it that is included in our blurb on the Livebearers, mentioning the disastrous effect this fish had in Australia and why it is illegal. In our profiles (second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of this page), click the underlined word *Livebearers* to see the blurb.


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## MyLittlePleco (Jan 10, 2011)

I've never seen this fish for sale in any LFS, although here in Malta they are released into open-topped reservoirs to keep mosquito populations down.
They do in fact multiply like crazy, and I'd imagine they can tolerate a range of conditions since the temperature here can fluctuate from 37C in summer to 0C in winter sometimes. I can see why they're illegal in Australia.

All I can say is that there are literally hundreds of small shoaling fish you can choose from, and that Mosquitofish aren't particularly colourful or pretty. Quite frankly I don't see why you'd want to keep them when you can choose another fish species which is much more attractive, although to each his own, I guess.
I don't see any reason why they'd be expensive. They're in short demand in the fishkeeping hobby and they multiply like there's no tomorrow.


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

Yeah their are just billions here.. They're so successful though because they can withstand temperatures from -3C to 41C, and can live in nearly any body of water whether it be freshwater, brackish and I've even caught them in saltwater. I would never want to keep them though because they're ugly, aggressive and when you get one, they will not stop breeding and eventually take over anything.. Ponds, creeks, drains, estuaries, dams, fish tanks, puddles, rockpools... ANYTHING they get into, they takeover. Everyone Hear hates them and different poisons have been used to wipe them out but when you think they're all gone, you come back a few weeks later and they're everywhere again somehow. So anyway, I can't think of a use of having them in an aquarium either.. Besides they're really hardy. But anyway I was just wondering if they WEREN'T illegal, would anyone buy them and for how much.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks alot for your answers though guys, they were s help
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ghostgirl (Oct 16, 2010)

Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums for $1.29 USD

I just googled it.


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

So they're $1.29 each? Wow, i wonder if anyone actually would pay for them, thanks alot by the way


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## ghostgirl (Oct 16, 2010)

no problem.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

yeah gambusia are not all that common. Those that like rare livebearers do buy these fish. Not a lot of people keep them. I know there are some kept in our local aquarium society with a lot of the other less common ones and wild types. Gambusia are not the most sought after, mainly do to their aggression. They have been introduced here in the US as well. Mosquito fish is used for mosquito control;-).


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

Mikaila31, When you say they're not common, do you mean as in the wild or in the aquarium?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

kane chisholme said:


> Mikaila31, When you say they're not common, do you mean as in the wild or in the aquarium?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


In the aquarium. As others have said they are not all that pretty and can be aggressive.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

My LFS keeps them and gives them away for free. They are very small specimens and the people that take them are usually stocking a pond in order to avoid mosquitos or to be used as feeder fish to larger cichlids. We had a West Nile issue here a few years back so no one wants mosquitos lurking around their yards.


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> My LFS keeps them and gives them away for free.


 all I can say is that's what they're worth


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## kane chisholme (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks alot for all the answers though guys, massive help


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