Mississippi Gambusia

Mississippi Gambusia - Gambusia affinis

Small livebearing fish from America. Most gambusias are freshwater, although some can inhabit brackish or saltwater. Males differ from females by their smaller body size and long ventral fins.

Gambusia was introduced to Kyrgyzstan to eradicate malaria mosquitoes, first in the water bodies of the southern regions of the country, and later in the Chui region. Gambusia quickly multiplied in the water bodies of the Chui Valley.

Due to livebearing, this species has adapted to almost all standing and slow-flowing water bodies in the Chui, Talas, and Osh regions. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of one and a half to two months. During the summer season, it can produce 3-4 broods, averaging 60-70 fry in each. It feeds on plankton, mosquito larvae, airborne insects, and fish eggs. Therefore, when present in large numbers in ponds, it can harm fish farming. Adult individuals are very active in consuming their young.

In the last decade, the number of gambusia in the water bodies of the Chui Valley has sharply decreased due to the increased population of the Amur sleeper and eleotrid, which have apparently exterminated it.

Gambusia is an excellent object for aquarium fish farming. The conditions for keeping, feeding, and breeding are the same as for other poeciliids, but aquariums cannot be covered with glass, as this will soon lead to the death of the fish. They are unsuitable for cohabitation with other fish species, as they tend to nip at their fins.

Fish