Moderlieschen

Please note that we do not ship fish by post. All fish must be collected from us in Oberweningen. We will professionally pack the fish for you and ensure sufficient oxygenation. This allows even longer transports to be handled without problems. Our staff will also be happy to inform you about transport and the correct introduction of the fish into your pond.

Origin and Appearance
The moderlieschen, also called witting or dwarf bleak, is a European small fish species and belongs to the carp-like fish. Moderlieschen are common in Central and Eastern Europe.

They grow 6 - 12 cm long, with females tending to be slightly larger and fuller. Moderlieschen live for a maximum of 3 - 4 years. Their back is greenish-brown, their sides are silver, and their belly is whitish. A slightly bluish shimmering longitudinal stripe runs along their sides.

Moderlieschen are found mainly in still or slow-flowing, smaller bodies of water. They do not like strong currents and prefer bank regions with dense vegetation.

It has an upturned mouth, which indicates that moderlieschen tend to stay in the upper regions of the water and in shallower areas. They have relatively large eyes and scales in proportion to their body. The fins are yellow and partly white, and the base of the fins is usually slightly reddish.

Care and Feeding
Moderlieschen do not need large water surfaces to feel comfortable, so they are also very suitable as stocking fish for small ponds or biotopes, where they are also highly valued as mosquito eaters. They are very resistant to cold and ice, so overwintering outdoors is harmless. However, they are susceptible to oxygen deficiency and elevated nitrite or ammonium levels. Moderlieschen do not tolerate temperatures above 25 degrees; generally, an aeration pump must be installed in the pond if water temperatures exceed 20 degrees.

Moderlieschen reach sexual maturity after their first year of life. The spawning season for moderlieschen takes place from April to June, and the water must be 18 degrees or higher for reproduction. The female lays the small, approx. 1mm large eggs in the form of spawn ribbons with the help of her ovipositor on aquatic plants or roots near the water surface. The males care for the brood and guard the spawn from predators. With their fins, they add oxygen to the eggs in the form of fresh water, and they also coat the spawn with a secretion that has antibacterial properties.

Moderlieschen live in schools and are very sociable. Since they have a strong social behavior, they should always be kept in groups, ideally from 5 animals and more. Their peaceful nature allows for problem-free cohabitation with other small fish or peaceful cyprinids such as koi.

In nature, moderlieschen feed on plankton and small organisms such as mosquito larvae, water fleas, or even airborne insects. In domestic garden ponds, we feed moderlieschen with special mini pellets for small fish.

Good water quality is a prerequisite for keeping moderlieschen, so a filter system and oxygen enrichment are essential for the well-being of the animals.

Water Temperatures and Overwintering
Moderlieschen are native cold-water fish and can cope with a wide variety of conditions. They can tolerate temperatures between 4 - 25 °C well. Overwintering in our domestic garden ponds is therefore not a problem.