Captive Care Notes: Peamouth (Mylocheilus, Family Cyprinidae)

Perhaps because of it size, Peamouth (Mylocheilus caurinus) are not commonly kept in the home aquarium. Norman Edelen, Jr., a NANFA member from Washington, has kept Peamouth juveniles in a 55-gallon aquarium with undergravel filters and powerheads; he reports that they feed voraciously on flakes, pellets, and live foods, and like to school with Redside Shiner (Richardsonius balteatus) (pers. comm.).

Although Peamouth have not reportedly spawned in captivity, the book American Aquarium Fishes suggests that they might if one tries to simulate the shoreline habitat they spawn over in the wild. Condition 10-15 Peamouth with meaty foods in a chilled 55-gallon aquarium with a sand bottom and strong filtration. When males color up and females fill with roe, move the fish outdoors during late winter into a shallow wading pool with one side raised higher than the other. Fill the higher (shallower) portion of the tub with pea gravel. If this novel setup works, the fish will spawn in the gravel. Remove the parents and begin feeding the fry live daphnia.