Relict splitfin

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep six or more in 60 liters or larger at 16 to 26 C, pH 7.0 to 7.8, in medium hard to hard water. Base the diet on vegetable foods and algae, such as spirulina flake and blanched greens, with a little frozen daphnia. Peaceful and best in a species tank or with other calm, cool water goodeids. Cooler room temperatures suit it better than a warm community tank.

In the wild

A small, subtropical goodeid from cooler highland springs, so it neither needs nor wants tropical heat. Males show a spangled blue green body with a yellow or orange tinge in the fins. Keep a group in a planted tank with hard water and clean, gentle flow. They are avid algae grazers.

Good to know

Xenoophorus captivus is the only species in its genus and is critically endangered as its San Luis Potosi springs are drained and polluted. It is a matrotrophic livebearer feeding young internally through trophotaeniae, with broods of roughly 10 to 25 fry after about 55 days. Adults reach around 6 cm.

Did you know

This highland relict survives in only a handful of spring systems, so most aquarium fish trace back to a few carefully bred lines.

Related species

• 

  Rainbow goodeid

  Characodon lateralis

  2.4 in (6 cm)15 gal (57 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)

• 

  Spotted skiffia

  Skiffia multipunctata

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Tequila splitfin

  Zoogoneticus tequila

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
• Golden skiffia

  Skiffia francesae

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Redtail splitfin

  Xenotoca eiseni

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
• Bumblebee goodeid

  Allotoca dugesii

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)