Banded Gudgeon (Mogurnda cingulata)

Remarks:  Mogurnda cingulata, commonly known as the banded gudgeon, is a species not often seen within the hobby in North America. However, with their vibrant colors, hardy nature, and ease of breeding we hope to see this change in the coming years. Mature banded gudgeons display very attractive coloration with a blue sheen and red speckles across their silver bodies. These speckles turn into stripes on the face with their yellow-orange eyes matching the color of their fins. The patterns and colors of banded gudgeons are often compared to colorful species of trout such as the rainbow trout, a testament to their striking appearance. 

  As stated previously, not only are banded gudgeons beautiful, they are actually very hardy and easy to breed too. In the wild, they can be found in a variety of habitats from swift moving rivers to calm swamps and lakes in northern Australia and New Guinea. Being adapted for such a broad range of conditions has made the banded gudgeon very hardy in regards to aquarium life. Like with many hardy fish, if you have a pair it doesn't take much to get them spawning. Having them in clean water with plenty of caves to hide in and flat spaces to spawn on combined with a good diet almost always can result in spawning attempts. They can be a very entertaining breeding project as males exhibit fantastic parental care, fanning their eggs and sometimes even guarding the fry the first few days after they hatch. For the best chance at getting healthy spawns, we recommend an omnivorous diet with a carnivorous lean full of protein. Bloodworms, brine shrimp, and other fresh food items are a great choice. However for just regular care, banded gudgeons aren't picky eaters and will eat just about anything offered.

  Something that sets banded gudgeons aside from most other gudgeons more commonly seen in the hobby is their size. In the wild, they can reach nearly seven inches in length but most in captivity stay around 5-6 inches. This larger size makes them able to be kept with larger fish that might predate upon smaller species but also makes the gudgeon a threat to smaller fish that can fit in their mouths. Their size combined with their habit of being a fin nipper if kept with long-finned species has made it where caution should be had when choosing tankmates. If looking to keep them in a species only tank, it is very important that numbers and space are considered. A breeding pair of banded gudgeons can take over an entire tank and bully stragglers if there are just a few in a smaller tank. To prevent aggression, we recommend keeping them either as a single fish, a breeding pair, or as a large group of eight or more when kept in a larger tank. Since there is little to no visual difference between males and females, your best chance at getting a pair is to get a young group and allow them to pair off as they mature, so it is already beneficial to get more to increase your chances.