Powell's neolebias

Neolebias powelli

Also known as Powelli neolebias, Domino neolebias

FreshwaterFish

Powell's neolebias (Neolebias powelli) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.0–6.5
Adult size: 0.8 in (2 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Niger Delta blackwaters, Nigeria
Family: Distichodontidae

Overview

A blackwater specialist and one of the smallest fish you can keep, so treat it gently: school it in a group of ten or more, on its own or with other tiny, soft-water species such as Barboides. It swims in the middle water of a small, dim tank and needs the finest of foods to survive. Its size and its demand for soft, acidic, spotless water make it a fish for an experienced keeper. Feed microscopic live and frozen foods: microworm, baby brine shrimp, and cyclops. A stable, mature, well-planted tank of around 40 liters suits a school.

In the wild

Powell's neolebias lives in the blackwater creeks of the Niger Delta in Nigeria, soft, acidic, tea-dark water under thick forest. Recreate it with soft water, heavy tannins from leaves and wood, dense planting, and low light. Keep it warm at 23 to 27 degrees Celsius and distinctly acidic, with pH from 5.0 to 6.5. Pristine, stable conditions matter enormously to a fish this small and delicate.

Good to know

Neolebias powelli is a member of the African family Distichodontidae and one of the smallest characoids in the world, reaching only about 2 centimeters. Its pale, translucent body carries dark blotches, which have earned it the trade name domino tetra. It is known only from the Niger Delta. Breeding it in aquaria is not established.

Did you know

At around two centimeters, this is one of the tiniest characins on earth, and its whole known range sits inside the Niger Delta. A keeper holds a slice of one of Africa's least-seen fish communities in a creature the size of a fingernail.