The charming aquarium fish gambusia found itself in the post-Soviet space in 1925, when it was brought from Italy to Sukhumi to fight malarial mosquitoes. The fact is that the fish gambusia devours a large number of pupae and larvae of mosquitoes, which accumulate in standing small, thinly overgrown reservoirs.
In some countries, these fish are bred specifically to fight malaria, which mosquitoes suffer. For this purpose, several decades ago, gambusia was carried around the world. The International Red Cross in 1920, the batch of gambusia was requested to Italy and Spain for acclimatization. Very quickly, these fish multiplied by filling up stagnant ponds. For several years in Italy, it was possible to reduce malaria to a single sporadic cases. Hambussia traveled the world, settling the waters of Palestine, the Hawaiian and Philippine islands, Argentina, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Ukraine.
By the way, the gambusia, which has proved to be an excellent fighter against malaria, in Corsica and Adler, a monument has been erected. And some enterprising aquarists release these fishes in the nearest natural reservoirs, so that the mosquito squeak does not annoy residents of neighboring districts at night.
Maintenance and care
If the aquarium has appeared at you not so long ago, and experience is not enough, then ordinary mussel is a fish that will suit you. These fish are unpretentious, feel great in slightly salty or fresh water, the temperature of which can fluctuate in a wide range (12-32 degrees). If the temperature drops to 10 degrees, the gambusia will sink into the mud or fall into a hibernation. There are no strict requirements for either the purity of water or the oxygen content in it. Care for the gammon is so simple that even feeding it is not difficult. In addition to the usual dry food, fish can be given fresh mosquito larvae from the nearest puddle to the house.
Spawning usually occurs in the summer at a water temperature of 18 to 22 degrees. During the season, a female gambusia can produce up to five litters of fry. By the way, mosquitoes refer to viviparous fishes. Young animals must be immediately set aside, because cannibalism is not alien to adults. Parents are happy to devour the fry. Two months after birth, the fry are already sexually mature.
These translucent silvery with greenish-gray tint of fish can not be kept in a common aquarium with sedentary neighbors. In a short period, all the fins will be cut off by Gumbussia, because these seemingly lovely creatures are in fact very aggressive.