Gambusia Affinis and Poecilia Reticulata

Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy) Latest News

Recently, the National Green Tribunal has asked for a response from the Central government on the use of Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy) as biological mosquito control agents.

About Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish)

• It is known as mosquito fish, and is widely used as a biological agent for controlling mosquito larvae.
• It is native to the waters of the south-eastern United States.
• It has been a part of mosquito-control strategies for over a century in various parts of the world, including India.
• Also, it has been part of various malaria control strategies in India since 1928, including the Urban Malaria Scheme.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Gambusia one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world.
• The states which stored and released Mosquitofish were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.

About Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy)

• It is a small benthopelagic fish native to Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela and the Caribbean Islands.
• Habitat: It is a non-migratory fish that can inhabit both fresh and brackish water.
• It is a popular aquarium species and is also commonly used in genetics research.
• It can occupy a wide range of aquatic habitats and is a threat to native cyprinids and killifishes. It is a carrier of exotic parasites and is believed to play a role in the decline of several threatened and endangered species.
• It has been released in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab and Odisha.

Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy) FAQs 

Q1: What is the common name for Gambusia fish?

Ans: Western mosquitofish

Q2: Which fish is used to control mosquito population?

Ans: Gambusia affinis.

Q3: What is Poecilia reticulata known as?

Ans: It is also known as millionfish or the rainbow fish

Source: DH