Gertrude Rainbow: Gertrude’s Spotted Blue Eye Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil gertrudae) is a less common Blue Eye Rainbowfish that is native to Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia. 

Gertrude Rainbow lives in huge schools in densely forested places, making it a great candidate for the planted aquarium, and it especially appreciates the cover of floating plants.

Males have iridescent yellow and blue coloring on their bodies and fins, which is especially noticeable when battling with other males. Males’ second dorsal and anal fins get exceedingly long and fan-like as they mature. Females are often smaller and have an appealing orange-yellow coloration.

The Gertrude’s Spotted Blue Eye Rainbowfish gets along well with other little fish and can even be housed with adult dwarf shrimp. When housed in schools of 6 or more, including numerous males, in a thickly vegetated, roomy aquarium, the most intense color will be displayed to ensure that subdominant males are not unnecessarily bothered by dominant males. Darker substrate, like with many rainbowfish, typically results in better color.

While this fish will readily accept high-quality flake foods, it should also be fed a variety of small frozen or live meaty items to maintain its health and color. Because Gertrude’s Spotted Blue Eye Rainbowfish is a timid fish, it can easily be outcompeted for food by more aggressive eaters, so it must be protected.