Gambusia = Feeder Guppies?

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JuanTamad

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jan 8, 2006
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Miami, Fl
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:)
 
I don't believe they are the same.
 
Not the same fish, but I am sure they will work as feeders.
 
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.
 
I feed 1000's of these per week to my fish.
 
icthyophile said:
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.
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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.
 
icthyophile said:
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.
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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.
 
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