TankBud

Transparent blue-eye

Pseudomugil pellucidus

Also known as Pellucid blue-eye, Transparent blue-eye rainbowfish, Pellucidus Rainbow

FreshwaterFish

Transparent blue-eye (Pseudomugil pellucidus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Top
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Pseudomugilidae
Origin
Timika region, southern West Papua

Overview

The transparent blue-eye is a small, glassy schooling fish for the top of a calm, planted tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The transparent blue-eye lays bright red eggs, an oddity in its genus. The color fades as the eggs develop.

Caring for the transparent blue-eye

Keep a school of eight to ten or more transparent blue-eyes in 11 gal (40 L) or larger. Plant the tank well, with fine-leaved and floating plants for them to display around. Keep the flow gentle. They spend most of their time in the top of the tank.

Hold the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Feed small live and frozen foods such as cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp, along with finely crushed flake.

The transparent blue-eye is completely peaceful. Keep it with other small, calm fish or in a species tank, since anything fast will outcompete it.

Males spar constantly with spread fins. The fish scatter unusually large eggs among fine plants, and breeding them takes some experience.

Good to know

Pseudomugil pellucidus was described by Allen and Ivantsoff in 1998. Its name means pellucid, for a body so clear that the spine shows through, sometimes with a reddish glow. It is a blue-eye in the family Pseudomugilidae, and like its relatives it is short-lived, usually two to three years. The stripe on the anal fin runs from yellow to red, depending on the individual. The species is assessed as Vulnerable because its small range sits in a heavily mined region, so tank-bred fish are the norm.

In the wild

The transparent blue-eye comes from shallow, slow rainforest streams around Timika in southern West Papua, Indonesia. Clear or lightly tannin-stained water flows over sand, gravel and rock there. The fish stays near the surface, under overhanging and floating plants.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The transparent 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 transparent blue-eye need?

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

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

A transparent blue-eye is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a transparent blue-eye eat?

A transparent blue-eye eats small live and frozen foods such as cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp. It also takes finely crushed flake.

How big does a transparent blue-eye get?

An adult transparent blue-eye reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

Does a transparent blue-eye need a group?

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

How does a transparent blue-eye breed?

Transparent blue-eyes scatter unusually large eggs among fine plants. Breeding them takes some experience.

Related species