Eastern Mosquitofish - Habitat

Habitat

Gambusia holbrooki is found in the southeastern United States and has become an invasive species in Australia, where they were released as a method to decrease mosquito populations. This species thrives in shallow water between 31 and 35°C, and seems to be able to acclimate to temperatures above and below this. G. holbrooki has been shown to survive in water with pH and chemical levels known to kill other fish species, and prefers to live in areas where the water flows at a slow pace, is clear and without free-floating plant life, and seeks shelter in rooted plants.Gambusia holbrooki is native to the southeastern United States, and can be found in many of the lakes within that area, which includes lakes east of the Mississippi River. No decrease in this species due to human activities has been noted. G. holbrooki is easily maintained and has never been considered an endangered or threatened species due to its ability to thrive in its native habitat. Due to releases in new areas, G. holbrooki has actually increased its range. It tolerates chemical and temporal changes quite easily, and this might be one reason they have not shown a decrease in population due to environmental changes caused by humans. Eastern mosquitofish live in areas with slow-moving water and free of large, floating plant life. They use rooted plants as shelter. The water temperature in which Gambusia holbrooki thrives is between 31 and 35°C; however, they can tolerate temperatures above and below this. Also as mentioned before, they can tolerate a large change in chemical composition and a wide range of pH levels.