Forktail blue-eye

Pseudomugil furcatus

Also known as Forktail furcata blue eye rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Forktail blue-eye (Pseudomugil furcatus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F; 24–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.2 in; 5.5 cm
Minimum tank: 22 gal; 85 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Egg depositor · Hard
Rarity: Rare
Family: Pseudomugilidae
Origin: New Guinea

Overview

The forktail blue-eye is a small, peaceful schooling fish for a planted community tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

Forktail blue-eyes were once placed in their own genus, Popondetta, after the New Guinea town near where they were found. Older books still list them under that name.

Caring for the forktail blue-eye

Keep forktail blue-eyes in a group of eight to ten, in a tank of at least 22 gal (85 L). Give them a fine substrate, plenty of fine-leaved and floating plants and some wood. A gentle, clean flow keeps oxygen high.

Keep the water steady and clean, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed small, frequent meals of micro pellets, crushed flake, frozen cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp. Good food keeps their color and energy up.

Forktail blue-eyes are peaceful and keep to the middle and upper water. Keep them with other gentle, similarly sized fish rather than anything pushy. Males are a little larger and more decorated than females. They constantly display their yellow-and-black forked tails and raised fins at each other, fanning them at rivals for much of the day.

They spawn continuously, laying small eggs among fine plants and mops over weeks. They give no care to eggs or young. The very small fry need tiny first foods, which puts breeding on the harder side.

Good to know

Pseudomugil furcatus belongs to the blue-eye family Pseudomugilidae. The name furcatus means forked, for its deeply split tail.

In the wild

The forktail blue-eye comes from clear rainforest streams in eastern New Guinea. It lives in cooler, well-oxygenated running water among plants and roots. Those streams are soft and slightly acidic to neutral.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The forktail blue-eye is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a forktail blue-eye need?

A forktail blue-eye needs at least 22 gal (85 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a forktail blue-eye need?

A forktail blue-eye is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a forktail blue-eye eat?

A forktail blue-eye eats small, frequent meals of micro pellets, crushed flake, frozen cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp. Good food keeps its color and energy up.

How big does a forktail blue-eye get?

An adult forktail blue-eye reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).

Does a forktail blue-eye need a group?

Yes. A forktail blue-eye is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male forktail blue-eye from a female?

Males are a little larger and more decorated than females.

How does a forktail blue-eye breed?

Forktail blue-eyes spawn continuously, laying small eggs among fine plants and mops over weeks with no care for the young. The very small fry need tiny first foods, so breeding is on the harder side.