Home · Pseudomugilidae · Arnhem land blue-eye
Arnhem land blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus) — Pseudomugilidae

Arnhem land blue-eye

Pseudomugil tenellus
LC · Least Concern

The Arnhem land blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus) is a freshwater fish of the family Pseudomugilidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Northern Australia
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The Arnhem Land blue-eye is a small, colourful blue-eye from fresh water of northern Australia, in Arnhem Land. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, yellowish body with fine blue and yellow accents and bright blue eyes; males have strikingly flared fins. It schools in clear streams, billabongs and marshes and feeds on small zooplankton and insect larvae. The fish appears in the aquarium hobby. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Arnhem land blue-eye?

The Arnhem land blue-eye has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a plain pattern. Bright blue eyes and fanned-out fins in the male; schooling blue eye

Where does the Arnhem land blue-eye live?

The Arnhem land blue-eye lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Northern Australia

How big does the Arnhem land blue-eye get?

The Arnhem land blue-eye grows to a maximum of about 6 cm. On average the species is around 4 cm.

Is the Arnhem land blue-eye dangerous to humans?

No, the Arnhem land blue-eye is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Arnhem land blue-eye edible?

The Arnhem land blue-eye is not usually eaten.

More photos

Arnhem land blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus) — Pseudomugilidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Kim McLachlan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Arnhem land blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus) — Pseudomugilidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Tom Ferguson, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Arnhem land blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus) — Pseudomugilidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Tom Ferguson, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Arnhem land blue-eye verified
Scientific name
Pseudomugil tenellus
Family
Pseudomugilidae
Other names
Delicate blue eye; Delicate blue-eye verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.5 verified
Average length (cm)
4.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Northern Australia verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small zooplankton and insect larvae inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Schooling blue-eye; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Bright blue eyes and fanned-out fins in the male; schooling blue eye sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pseudomugil

More from the family Pseudomugilidae

Fin

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