Paskai Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil paskai)

The Paskai Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil paskai), also called the Paskai Blue-Eye, is a dazzling little jewel for planted nano tanks. Despite its tiny size it packs in electric-blue eyes, sunset-orange fins edged in black and white, and a translucent gold body that glows under good light. Peaceful and endlessly active, a shoal of these brings constant color and gentle fin-flaring displays to a community aquarium. Fresh out of our quarantine and settling into the showroom. Browse the rest of our freshwater livestock to build the nano community around them.

Care Guide

Blue-eyes are best suited to a mature, stable, well-planted tank rather than a brand-new setup. Keep them in a group of eight or more, ideally with several males, so they feel secure and put on their signature sparring displays, where rival males flare their fins and light up with color without ever doing harm. Their tiny mouths need appropriately small foods, and their color deepens in soft, slightly tannin-stained blackwater conditions.

• Minimum tank: 10 gallons for a proper shoal. Perfect for nano and planted aquascapes.
• Water: 75 to 80°F, pH 6.0 to 7.5, soft to moderately hard. Colors best in soft, acidic water.
• Diet: Micropredator with a small mouth. Feed crushed flakes, micro pellets, and live or frozen baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and cyclops.
• Behavior: Peaceful, active, top-to-mid swimmer. Best kept in groups of 8 or more.
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years, typical for blue-eyes. They mature and breed quickly.

Specifications

Compatibility

Paskai Blue-Eyes are model nano citizens. They are far too small and gentle to bother anyone, so pair them only with other calm, small fish that will not outcompete them at feeding time.

• Good tankmates: Other nano fish such as the Celestial Pearl Danio, Micro Tiger Rasbora, Ember Tetra, and pygmy corydoras.
• Great with shrimp: Adult Neocaridina shrimp make ideal companions, though very small shrimplets may be eaten.
• Use caution with: Large, fast, or boisterous fish that will outcompete or intimidate them.
• Keep a shoal. A lone blue-eye hides and loses color. A group of eight or more, with a few males, is where the magic happens.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Hikari Micro Pellets, sized right for tiny mouths
• Baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and cyclops to bring out peak color
• Live plants, fine-leaved cover, and a dark substrate to show off their blue eyes, see our freshwater collection

FAQ

How many should I keep?
At least eight, and ideally more. They are shoaling fish, and a larger group with several males produces the best color and the most active fin-flaring displays.

Are they good for beginners?
They are a great step up for a beginner with a stable, cycled, planted tank. They are not demanding, but they do best in mature water rather than a brand-new setup.

Will they harm my shrimp?
Adult Neocaridina shrimp are safe with them. Newly hatched shrimplets may be seen as food, which is normal in a mixed nano tank.

Why is one so much more colorful than the others?
Males wear the bright orange fins and flare hardest when displaying. Females are a little plainer, which is completely normal.