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Paska's blue-eye

Pseudomugil paskai

Also known as Paska's rainbowfish, Paskai blue-eye

FreshwaterFish

Paska's blue-eye (Pseudomugil paskai)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
5.5–7.0
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
Native to the upper Fly River system near Kiunga in central Papua New Guinea, where it lives in small, densely vegetated rainforest creeks.

Overview

Paska's blue-eye is a tiny, peaceful schooling fish for a soft-water planted tank. It needs a bit more care than the easiest fish.

Did you know

The bright red blue-eyes sold as red neon were for years a mix of Paska's blue-eye and its close relative Pseudomugil luminatus. That relative was only described as a separate species in 2016. True P. paskai shows less red and more yellow-orange on the body.

Caring for the Paska's blue-eye

Keep a group of at least six to eight Paska's blue-eyes, biased toward females. A tank of 11 gal (40 L) or more suits them. Give them a well-planted tank with fine-leaved and floating plants, some driftwood and gentle flow, so they feel secure enough to display.

Keep the water soft and gently acidic, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Tannin-stained water from botanicals helps bring out their colors. Feed small live and frozen foods like cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp, along with fine crushed flake.

Pair them only with equally small, calm tank mates such as pygmy rasboras or small shrimp. Larger fish will outcompete or eat them.

Males display by spreading their fins at one another in short standoffs. Soft water also encourages them to spawn among fine plants. Breeding them is rated medium.

Good to know

Pseudomugil paskai was described by Allen and Ivantsoff in 1986. It was named after John Paska, a Papua New Guinea fisheries technician who helped collect the type specimens. It belongs to the blue-eye family Pseudomugilidae, small relatives of the rainbowfish named for their reflective blue eyes.

In the wild

Paska's blue-eye is native to the upper Fly River system near Kiunga, in central Papua New Guinea. It lives in shaded, slow to moderate jungle creeks with soft, slightly acidic water and heavy plant cover.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Paska's 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 Paska's blue-eye need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Paska's blue-eye need?

A Paska's blue-eye is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a Paska's blue-eye eat?

A Paska's blue-eye eats small live and frozen foods like cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp, along with fine crushed flake.

How big does a Paska's blue-eye get?

An adult Paska's blue-eye reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

Does a Paska's blue-eye need a group?

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

How does a Paska's blue-eye breed?

Paska's blue-eyes spawn among fine plants, and soft water encourages them. Breeding them is rated medium.

Related species