What do mosquitofish eat?

Mosquito fish are omnivorous and have a voracious appetite for mosquitoes. A large female can consume hundreds of larvae per day. All sizes and ages of mosquito fish feed on mosquito larvae. They also eat algae and small invertebrates.

Why are Eastern mosquitofish important?

Throughout the world, it has been widely distributed to aid mosquito control in rice paddies and natural waters (Krumholz, 1948; Lloyd et al., 1986; Arthington and Lloyd, 1989). Worldwide introduction of Eastern Gambusia has occurred since the first introduction into Hawaii in 1905 (Krumholz, 1948).”

Are Eastern mosquitofish invasive?

Eastern mosquitofish are native to the southeastern United States. They have been introduced worldwide and have become an invasive species in many places including Australia and Europe. Eastern mosquitofish are found in shallow, standing to slow-flowing water, mostly in vegetated ponds, lakes, and sloughs.

Do mosquitofish eat phytoplankton?

They are ovoviviparous (live bearers). Gambusia reach maturity in 4 to 10 weeks. Mosquitofish feed at the water’s surface and eat a variety of macro-invertebrates; including mosquito larvae, other small insect larvae, zooplankton and aquatic plants such as algae and diatoms.

What kind of fish is the eastern mosquitofish?

The eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki is an exotic fish, which is now widespread around the globe and is known to adversely affect native fish through competition and/or predation. G. holbrooki

What kind of food does a mosquito fish eat?

The mosquitofish has been listed as one of the 100 worst invasive species worldwide. So I would only recommend them for your pond when you live in an area, where these fish are native. They feed mainly on insect larvae, of course. It has been shown that a single female can eat up to 167% of its own weight in larvae in a day.

Why are so many eastern mosquitofish going extinct?

Several rainbowfish populations appear to have become extinct due to the impacts of introduced Gambusia. Compounding the issue, Eastern mosquitofish have the ability to thrive in many different environmental conditions which are usually lethal to other fish species.

What kind of behavior does a mosquito fish have?

Meffe (1983, 1985) found that mosquitofish are very aggressive, even toward larger fish. They often attack, shred fins, and sometimes kill other species.