Moderlieschen

The Moderlieschen (also called Belica) is one of Europe's smallest native cyprinids, rarely exceeding 9 cm. Its body is extraordinarily iridescent — silver with a faint blue-green metallic sheen that flashes in light — and it schools tightly near the surface in ponds and slow-moving water.

Unique among European cyprinids, the female wraps her eggs in a spiralling band around aquatic plant stems. The male then fertilises and guards them until hatching, making the Moderlieschen one of the few European cyprinids with any parental care.

This species is excellent for cool nano tanks, outdoor container ponds, or as part of a European lake biotope display. It is peaceful, hardy, and its spawning behaviour is fascinating to observe.

Water: 5–22°C, pH 6.5–8.0, GH 4–18; tolerant of still or gently flowing cool water. Tank: minimum 40 L, planted with slender-stemmed plants for egg attachment, gentle surface movement. Feeding: omnivore — micro-pellets, floating flake, frozen daphnia, cyclops, baby brine shrimp. Breeding: female wraps eggs around plant stems in a spiral band; male guards until hatching. Compatibility: peaceful; excellent with other small European coldwater nano species.