Moonlight Fish

[Common Nicknames]

Crescent Fish, Full Fish, Wide-tailed 68 Fish

　[Scientific Name]

Xiphophorus maculatus

[Geographical Distribution]

Rivers and basins in Central America, Mexico, Guatemala, etc.

　[Adult Length]

5.0-8.0 cm

[Personality]

Gentle

　[Suitable Temperature]

20.0-26.0°C

　[pH]

PH 7.0-8.3

[Hardness]

dGH 12.0-18.0N

[Activity Level]

Middle

[Breeding Method]

Ovoviviparous

　　The Moonlight Fish belongs to the ovoviviparous family of the Cyprinidae. It has an elliptical shape, a round tail, and a short and round body. The body color can be black, red, blue, or multicolored. Common varieties include Red Moonlight, Red-Tailed Golden Moonlight, Black Moonlight, Blue Moonlight, and Tricolor Moonlight. Their diet mainly consists of fish food. The breeding water temperature is 24-27 degrees Celsius, and the female fish has a noticeable placenta before giving birth. Each time, it gives birth to 20-50 fry, and it gives birth once a month. Moonlight Fish is gentle and easy to raise.

　　The Moonlight Fish has a spindle-shaped body with a small head, large eyes, a pointed snout, and a round chest and abdomen. It gradually becomes laterally flattened near the tail, and the tail peduncle is wide. The tail fin is rounded, and the dorsal fin is located near the middle of the body, with a rounded outer edge. Moonlight Fish can hybridize with Swordtails, and common hybrids include Red Moonlight, Blue Moonlight, Yellow Moonlight, Black-Tailed Yellow Moonlight, Black-Tailed Red Moonlight, Variegated Moonlight, Golden-Headed Moonlight, Sail-Finned Moonlight, and other varieties. Moonlight Fish easily undergoes variations, so stable varieties should not be mixed with Swordtails or other Moonlight Fish. This fish prefers slightly alkaline hard water, with a pH value of 7-7.4, and a water temperature of 22-26°C. It grows well in 0.5%-1% saltwater. It is omnivorous and has a gentle temperament. It becomes sexually mature at 5-6 months old. If the female fish's abdomen becomes swollen and a large black spot appears near the anus, it is a sign of impending birth. Mature females and males in the same tank will mate and reproduce naturally. The optimal breeding water temperature is around 26°C, with a hardness of about 9-10 degrees. One female fish can produce 30-40 fry.

Moonlight Fish has a strong adaptability to the environment and temperature and can adapt to water temperatures of 18-28℃, with the most suitable growth temperature being 22-26℃. If it belongs to a precious species, the water temperature should be 25-26℃.

It prefers neutral or slightly alkaline water with a hydrogen ion concentration of 39.81-100nmol/L (pH 7-7.4).

When the moonfish is found to be weak in swimming, add some salt to the water (1-2 small spoons of salt per 10 liters of water).

Moonlight fish is not picky eaters. They have a gentle temperament, love tranquility, and are very elegant in swimming and foraging. The male moonlight fish has a body length of 4-5 cm, while the female measures 5-6 cm. Varieties include red moonlight fish, blue moonlight fish, gold head blue moonlight fish, black-tailed moonlight fish, red-tailed moonlight fish, etc. Breeding water temperature is 25-26℃. During the breeding period, the male's body color gradually becomes darker and brighter, and the anal fin evolves into a sperm tube. The female's abdomen swells, and the body color is lighter than that of the male.

Also known as the New Moon Fish, Full Fish, Wide-tailed 68 Fish. Spindle-shaped, small head with large eyes, pointed snout, chest and abdomen are more round, gradually flattened near the tail, wide tail stalk, rounded caudal fin, dorsal fin located in the middle and rear of the body, with a rounded outer edge. Moonlight fish can hybridize with swordtail fish, and common hybrid varieties include red moonlight, blue moonlight, yellow moonlight, black-tailed yellow moonlight, black-tailed red moonlight, flower moonlight, golden head moonlight, sail-fin moonlight, etc. Moonlight fish are prone to variations, so stable varieties should not be mixed with swordtail fish or other moonlight fish. They prefer slightly alkaline hard water, with a pH of 7-7.4 and a water temperature of 22-26℃. They grow better in 0.5%-1% saltwater. They are omnivorous and have a gentle temperament. They reach sexual maturity at 5-6 months old. If the female's abdomen swells and a large black spot appears near the anus, it is a sign of imminent delivery. Mature females and males in the same tank can breed by themselves. The suitable breeding water temperature is around 26℃, with a hardness of about 9-10 degrees. One female can produce 30-40 fry.

It is recommended for fish enthusiasts to keep Moonlight Fish, as they have a gentle temperament and are easy to care for. The ideal water temperature for keeping them is between 22-28°C, and the water temperature should not drop below 16°C. They prefer weak alkaline water with a pH of around 7.4, and a small amount of salt can be added when changing the water. Their main food source is live water fleas, but they can also be fed with chopped spinach or lettuce leaves. To maintain the quality of this breed, different breeds should not be kept together in the same aquarium.

1. Fin Rot Disease

Fin rot disease is caused by columnaris bacteria. Tropical fish suffering from fin rot disease exhibit slow movement, faded body color, loss of luster, decreased appetite, blackening of the head, and a layer of mucus and dirt on the gills. As the disease progresses, the outer filaments of the gills turn white after being bright red, gradually rotting and falling off, followed by the rotting of the inner filaments. The epidermis of the gill cover becomes congested, the central bone becomes necrotic and falls off, and when severe, the entire gill cover begins to rot, ultimately leading to death.

2. Red Spot Disease

Red spot disease is caused by Pseudomonas fluorescens. Tropical fish suffering from red spot disease show obvious decline in physical condition, reduced appetite, slow movement, and swimming alone on the water surface. The fish's body surface bleeds and becomes inflamed, scales fall off, and the scales on both sides of the body and abdomen are most severely affected. The gills become congested. The fin rays decay, and when severe, the epidermis of the gill cover rots and falls off, making the gill cover transparent, leading to death in about a week.

3. Scale Standing Disease

Scale standing disease is caused by Pseudomonas fluorescens. Scale standing disease is a highly contagious fish disease, but it will not be transmitted if the tropical fish is physically strong and the skin is not damaged. In tropical fish suffering from this disease, the entire body surface becomes rough, with scales standing up and spreading outward. The fish with this disease also have complications such as fin rot, bleeding at the base of the fins, etc. The diseased fish have difficulty breathing, move slowly, and have decreased appetite. If not treated in time, it can cause a large number of deaths.

4. Ichthyophthiriasis

Symptoms: The diseased fish appear dull and often rub against the water flow or rocks to relieve itching. The body surface is covered with white or light gray spots. The diseased fish can experience both inter-infection and secondary infection. There are two common pathogens: one is similar to a freshwater ciliate called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, causing white spots on the fish's body surface; the other is a spherical flagellate called Cryptocaryon irritans, causing light gray spots on the fish's body surface, which is difficult to cure.

Caring for Moonlight Fish requires controlling the temperature to around 22-26 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature should not be lower than around 18 degrees Celsius. Although Moonlight Fish does not have high requirements for water quality, adjusting the pH value to a weak alkaline water quality can help them adapt and grow quickly.

Moonlight Fish is a omnivorous tropical fish and can generally be fed with small pellets for tropical fish. They can also be fed with bloodworms, frozen red worms, live daphnia, or other similar food. You can also feed them some chopped spinach or lettuce leaves.

During the process of caring for Moonlight Fish, the owner can also feed them with chopped vegetable leaves, such as spinach, cabbage, lettuce leaves, and broccoli. After feeding, the owner needs to promptly remove any remaining food to avoid rapid pollution of the water.