More info
Datasheet
| Minimum Tank Size | 90 litres / 23.78 US gallons |
| Maximum Size | 5.5cm / 2.17inches |
| Temperature | 25°C / 77.00°F - 32°C / 89.60°F |
| Hardness | 5.04dgH / 90ppm - 20.00dgH / 357ppm |
| pH | 5.5-7.5 |
Behaviour:
The Delicate Blue-Eye is a peaceful species suitable for community aquariums with fishes of similar size and temperament, such as cyprinids, gobiids, eleotrids, and smaller melanotaeniids. It is a shoaling fish and thrives best in groups of at least 8-10 individuals, where they exhibit less nervous behavior and display their best colors while showcasing fascinating competitive behavior for female attention.
Aquarium Setup:
For optimal care, the Delicate Blue-Eye should be housed in a densely-planted tank with floating plants, driftwood roots, or branches to create a natural environment. Addition of fine-leaved aquatic moss like Taxiphylum is recommended for fry. Well-oxygenated water with a moderate flow is ideal, and maintaining stable water conditions is crucial. It is important to avoid sudden fluctuations in water parameters and perform regular partial water changes to ensure water quality.
Feeding and Diet:
Being a zooplankton and invertebrate feeder in the wild, the Delicate Blue-Eye's diet in captivity should consist mainly of live foods like Daphnia, Moina, Artemia nauplii, and micro worms. They also accept small or crushed floating dried foods containing plant or algal material. Offering a variety of food items of suitable size and quality is essential for their health and well-being.
Reproduction & Dimorphism:
The Delicate Blue-Eye is an egg-scatterer with no parental care, and spawning occurs most likely in warmer temperatures. Females deposit eggs on vegetation, and males can mate with multiple females in a single day. Breeding can be simulated in aquarium settings by isolating breeding pairs or maintaining a colony in a well-planted tank with appropriate spawning media. Males are larger, more colorful, and have extended unpaired fins compared to females.
Habitat and Distribution:
Originally described from the Large Billabong at Oenpelli, Arnhem Land, Australia, the Delicate Blue-Eye is widely distributed along coastal northeastern Australia, with varying color patterns based on locality and water conditions. Found in freshwater and brackish habitats like swamps, billabongs, and slow-moving streams, this species also occurs in parts of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, showcasing adaptability to different environments within its range.