TankBud

Perugia's limia

Limia perugiae

Also known as Sparkling limia

FreshwaterFish

Perugia's limia (Limia perugiae)
Silvana Gericke (http://abilo.piranho.de/aquaseite/aqua.htm) · CC BY 2.5

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
7.2–8.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Livebearer · Easy
Rarity
Rare
Family
Poeciliidae
Origin
Endemic to Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic, including hard and sometimes slightly saline waters around Lake Enriquillo.

Overview

Perugia's limia is a sturdy livebearer for a hard-water community tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

A well-fed dominant Perugia's limia male builds up a humped nape and glowing color. Subordinate males stay slimmer and plainer. The raised nape grows with age and gives an older male a chunky profile.

Caring for the Perugia's limia

Keep six or more Perugia's limias in a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or larger. Set it up with plants, rockwork and some open space.

Give them hard water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.2 to 8.5. They handle higher mineral levels well. Feed a mixed diet of vegetable flake, algae foods and frozen daphnia or brine shrimp. They graze algae and take a wide range of foods.

Perugia's limias are mostly peaceful toward other robust hard-water fish. Males can be pushy with each other, so keep several females and give the group enough space.

Females grow larger than males, and males show yellow to orange in their fins. Perugia's limias are livebearers, and breeding them is easy.

Good to know

Perugia's limia, Limia perugiae, is one of the larger limias, in the family Poeciliidae. Its flanks sparkle with blue and gold.

In the wild

Perugia's limia is endemic to Hispaniola, in the Dominican Republic. Some wild populations live in hard, slightly brackish water around Lake Enriquillo.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Perugia's limia is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Perugia's limia need?

A Perugia's limia needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Perugia's limia need?

A Perugia's limia is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 7.2–8.5.

What does a Perugia's limia eat?

A Perugia's limia eats a mixed diet of vegetable flake, algae foods, and frozen daphnia or brine shrimp. It grazes algae and takes a wide range of foods.

How big does a Perugia's limia get?

An adult Perugia's limia reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How can you tell a male Perugia's limia from a female?

Males stay smaller than females and show yellow to orange in their fins.

How does a Perugia's limia breed?

Perugia's limias are livebearers that give birth to live young. Breeding them is easy.

Related species