Public Works and Environmental Services

Fairfax County, Virginia

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our administrative offices are open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Mon - Fri

703-324-5500
TTY 711

12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 449, Fairfax, Va 22035

Shannon Curtis,
Chief, Watershed Assessment Branch

Livebearers - Family Poeciliidae

Much Longer Than Tall
Much Longer Than Tall
One Dorsal Fin
One Dorsal Fin
Forward/Upward Facing Mouth
Forward/Upward Facing Mouth

EASTERN MOSQUITOFISH

EASTERN MOSQUITOFISH - Gambusia holbrooki

Scientific Name: Gambusia holbrooki
Fairfax County Native: Yes
Size: 2 inches, rarely larger
Diet: Mosquito larvae and other small invertebrates
Distribution sampling sites: Map

The eastern mosquitofish is the only live bearing fish in Fairfax County. As its name implies, the mosquitofish preys on larval and pupal mosquitos and is used as a mosquito control agent in ponds. This fish is able to breathe air from the water’s surface, enabling it to survive in low oxygen conditions.


References
Jenkins, R. E., N. M. Burkhead, 1994, Freshwater Fishes of Virginia,1079 pgs., American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD

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