TankBud

Honey blue-eye

Pseudomugil mellis

Also known as Honey blue-eye rainbowfish, Honey rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Honey blue-eye (Pseudomugil mellis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
pH
5.0–7.5
Adult size
1.4 in
3.5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Top
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Pseudomugilidae
Origin
Endemic to the coastal wallum country of southeastern Queensland, Australia, between Brisbane and Fraser Island, in tea-colored, tannin-stained streams, swamps and ponds.

Overview

Keep a group of at least six to eight in a tank of 40 litres or more at 20 to 28 C, in soft water with a pH from 5.0 to 7.5. It adapts to harder water but colors and breeds best in soft, gently acidic conditions with tannins. Keep it only with tiny, peaceful tankmates or as a species tank, since it is easily outcompeted. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, cyclops, microworm and baby brine shrimp, with fine flake as a supplement.

In the wild

Honey blue-eyes live in soft, acidic, tannin-stained wallum waters over nutrient poor sandy soil, in slow moving or almost still creeks and swamps. The tea colored water and dense marginal plants shape their needs in captivity. A small planted tank of 40 litres with driftwood, leaf litter or botanicals, floating plants and very gentle flow suits them. Soft, slightly acidic water brings out the warm honey tones of the males.

Good to know

Pseudomugil mellis was described by Allen and Ivantsoff in 1982, with the species name mellis referring to its honey coloring. It is a small blue-eye in the family Pseudomugilidae with a very limited natural range. Wild populations are of conservation concern from habitat loss and introduced mosquitofish, so aquarium stock is almost entirely captive bred.

Did you know

Males are honey to copper colored with bright blue eyes and stay under 4 cm, and because the wild fish are protected and threatened, keeping captive-bred lines going is a small conservation effort in itself.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Honey blue-eye is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the top. 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 Honey blue-eye need?

A Honey blue-eye needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the top.

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

A Honey blue-eye is comfortable at 68–82°F (20–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.5.

How big does a Honey blue-eye get?

An adult Honey blue-eye reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

Does a Honey blue-eye need a group?

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

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