Honey blue-eye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Honey blue-eye |
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The honey blue-eye (Pseudomugil mellis) is a small, beautiful fish. It is an endangered species, meaning it is at high risk of disappearing forever. This fish lives only in southeastern Queensland, Australia. You can find it in ponds and streams that are a bit acidic. These waters are often colored brown from natural plant materials, like tea. This special habitat is called "wallum".
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About the Honey Blue-Eye
The honey blue-eye was first described in 1982. Two scientists, Gerald R. Allen and Walter Ivantsoff, named it. Its name comes from the Latin word mel, which means "honey". For a while, people thought it was just a different color of another fish, the Pacific blue-eye. But in 2004, genetic studies showed it is its own unique species. The honey blue-eye is much smaller than its close relative.
What Does It Look Like?
The honey blue-eye is a small fish, usually about 2.5 to 3 centimeters long. The biggest one ever found was about 3.8 centimeters. As its name suggests, it has bright blue eyes! It also has blue cheeks. A thin line runs along its body, from its fins to its tail.
Female honey blue-eyes have clear fins. Male honey blue-eyes are a bit more colorful. Their top, bottom, and tail fins have black bands and white edges. Honey blue-eyes like to swim together in groups. These groups can have anywhere from 25 to 70 fish.
Where It Lives
The honey blue-eye lives in special areas called wallum heathlands. These are found in central and southeastern Queensland. You can find them in places like Dismal Swamp near Rockhampton. They also live in lakes and streams from Tin Can Bay down to Tibrogargan Creek, north of Brisbane. They are also on Fraser Island.
These fish prefer slow-moving water. The water is usually a little acidic. It can be clear or stained brown from plants. Other fish often found with the honey blue-eye include the ornate rainbowfish and the crimson-spotted rainbowfish.
Why It Needs Our Help
The honey blue-eye is an endangered species. This means its numbers are very low. It was first listed as "vulnerable" in 1988. Then, in 1996, it became "endangered". Australia's laws also protect this fish.
One big problem is that its home is shrinking. Many of the areas where it lives are being developed for cities. This breaks up their natural habitat. Also, some fish that are not native to Australia have been introduced. These include the eastern mosquitofish and the green swordtail. The eastern mosquitofish is known to harm other fish species. People sometimes put them in streams by mistake, thinking they help with mosquito control.
Another threat is that some honey blue-eyes are collected for aquariums. This also reduces their numbers in the wild.
What It Eats
The honey blue-eye mainly eats algae, which are tiny plant-like organisms. They also eat small insects and other tiny creatures that live in the water. They usually look for food near the water's surface.
Life Cycle
Female honey blue-eyes can start having babies when they are about three months old. They also need to be about 1.5 to 2 centimeters long. They lay their eggs in spring and summer. A female can lay between 40 and 125 eggs over several days. She usually places them at the bottom of water plants. When the baby honey blue-eyes hatch, they also feed near the water's surface.
In the wild, honey blue-eyes usually live for about one to two years. If they live in an aquarium, they can sometimes live a bit longer, around two years.
