Humpbacked limia

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep a colony of six to eight in a tank of 75 liters or larger, with more females than males to spread out the constant courtship from the males. They are mostly peaceful and sit in the middle of the water column, but they will eat dwarf shrimp and may nip other livebearers, so they are not shrimp-safe. Water should run warm, from 22 to 28 C, hard, and alkaline at a pH of 7 to 8.5. Feed them a varied diet with some vegetable matter worked in, since they graze on plant material in the wild. Pick tankmates that can handle the steady activity and won't get their fins picked at.

In the wild

The humpbacked limia comes from Hispaniola, in the lakes and streams of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where the water runs hard and alkaline. Set up a tank that matches those conditions, with neutral to hard alkaline water and a pH from 7 to 8.5, since this fish does poorly in soft acidic conditions. Keep the temperature between 22 and 28 C and give them open swimming room in the middle of the tank with some plants around the edges. A bit of mineral hardness in the water keeps them in good shape.

Good to know

This is a livebearer in the family Poeciliidae, reaching about 6 cm as an adult, with males a touch smaller and carrying a tall sail-like back. Like other poeciliids it bears live young rather than laying eggs, and broods of large fry arrive every few weeks. It is an easy fish to breed, and a healthy adult can live a few years. Most fish in the trade are tank bred.

Did you know

The "hump" is the males showing off. As a male matures, his back arches up into a tall sail-like ridge that he raises during courtship to look bigger to females and rival males. Females stay slim and plain by comparison, so a tank of these sorts itself into showy males and steady females at a glance.

Related species

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  Perugia's limia

  Limia perugiae

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Blackbelly limia

  Limia melanogaster

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Cuban limia

  Limia vittata

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• 

  Cardinal toothcarp

  Brachyrhaphis roseni

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)

• 

  Metallic livebearer

  Girardinus metallicus

  2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Sheepshead swordtail

  Xiphophorus birchmanni

  2.8 in (7 cm)24 gal (90 L)68–81°F (20–27°C)