View Full Version : Gambusia = Feeder Guppies?
JuanTamad
07-11-2006, 10:04 PM
Are Gambusia or mosquito fish the same as feeder guppies?
I've been catching a lot of mosquito fish or gambusia in a nearby lake and using them as feeders.
They look so much like the female feeder guppies i've been breeding and using as feeders. Are they the same species?
These gambusias are very voracious eaters and speedy swimmers. They probably reproduce much more than guppies as well and may be much easier and faster to breed and grow as feeders:)
Ive wondered that as well...
Honda12
07-11-2006, 10:24 PM
I don't believe they are the same.
gomezladdams
07-11-2006, 11:36 PM
Similar fish but not the same
ewurm
07-11-2006, 11:40 PM
Not the same fish, but I am sure they will work as feeders.
buckeyenut222
07-12-2006, 12:08 AM
Not the same fish, but I am sure they will work as feeders.
any fish can work as feeders if they fit in the big fishies mouth :D
No, they are two different species of livebearers. Mosquitofish are Gambusia affinis. Guppies are Poecilia reticulata. Mosquitofish occur in far colder waters than do guppies, including temperate North America, whereas guppies are native only to the tropics, such as their native Trinidad.
Steve_89
07-12-2006, 5:50 AM
I feed 1000's of these per week to my fish.
dannyboy
07-12-2006, 5:56 AM
No, they are two different species of livebearers. Mosquitofish are Gambusia affinis. Guppies are Poecilia reticulata. Mosquitofish occur in far colder waters than do guppies, including temperate North America, whereas guppies are native only to the tropics, such as their native Trinidad.
Yep its true!
Also about breeding them......Guppies have their babies in drops (eg say 30 at a time). However Gambusias have babies staggered, so they drop one or two every couple of days.
JuanTamad
07-12-2006, 9:48 AM
No, they are two different species of livebearers. Mosquitofish are Gambusia affinis. Guppies are Poecilia reticulata. Mosquitofish occur in far colder waters than do guppies, including temperate North America, whereas guppies are native only to the tropics, such as their native Trinidad.
Good to know!
They should survive Florida's winter in an outdoor setup then. They are abundant in the lake during the summer months here but disappears during the drier and colder months. I suppose they may continue breeding during the colder months in a tank environment outdoors here.
At least I won't have to bring them indoors when it gets cold like the feeder guppies.
I think Guppy had a thread on this somewhere on MFK but yeah they are not the same fish as stated, was a good thread on them do a search if you like
I believe it depends on where you get the feeders. In my local LFS I believe there are some Gambusia mixed in there. Some look pretty huge!