Redtail splitfin

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep six or more in a tank of 75 liters or larger at 18 to 28 C, pH 7.0 to 8.0, in medium hard to hard water. They are notorious fin nippers, so keep them away from guppies, angelfish, and other slow, long finned fish, and keep a decent sized group to spread out the nipping. Feed a varied diet with plenty of vegetable matter. Males reach about 6 cm, females about 7 cm.

In the wild

A stocky, hardy goodeid that does best in a group in a roomy tank with hard, alkaline water and steady filtration. Dominant males show a brilliant orange to red band across the rear body with a blue green sheen ahead of it. They graze algae and appreciate some plant cover plus open water to cruise. Temperatures from the high teens to high twenties C are all tolerated.

Good to know

In 2016 the redtail splitfin complex was revised, and the bright San Marcos form was split off as a separate species, Xenotoca doadrioi, with other populations reassigned to Xenotoca lyonsi, leaving true X. eiseni for the Santiago basin fish. Like all goodeids the females feed developing embryos internally through trophotaeniae. Broods run from 10 to 40 large fry.

Did you know

The red tail band on a dominant male can flush brighter or fade within minutes depending on his mood and status in the group.

Related species

• Jeweled splitfin

  Xenotoca variata

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)
• Bumblebee goodeid

  Allotoca dugesii

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

• 

  Tequila splitfin

  Zoogoneticus tequila

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

• 

  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)
• Golden skiffia

  Skiffia francesae

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