Sicklefin livebearer

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep six or more in 40 liters or larger at 20 to 28 C, pH 7.0 to 8.0, in medium hard to hard water. Feed a varied diet of flake, small frozen foods, and some algae or vegetable matter. Generally peaceful, though it will nip long fins and eat very small fry, so choose tankmates accordingly. An easy, forgiving fish that suits a hard water community.

In the wild

A slim Cuban topminnow with a metallic gold belly stripe and, in males, a distinctive curved gonopodium that gives the sicklefin name. It hangs near the surface in loose groups and darts for food. Keep a group in a planted tank with hard water and some open surface space. It grazes algae and small invertebrates.

Good to know

Girardinus falcatus is a Cuban livebearer whose males have a strongly curved, sickle shaped gonopodium used to fertilize females. Females reach about 6 cm and males stay smaller at around 4 cm. It is hardy and breeds freely, which makes it a good starting point for keepers new to wild livebearers.

Common questions

Related species

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