Humpbacked Limia
Limia nigrofasciata
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 6.3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 40 litres
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C
Species profile
Dusky Millions Fish
Phalloceros caudimaculatus
Common names: Dusky Millions Fish, Caudo, One-Spot Livebearer, Speckled Mosquitofish, Spottail Mosquitofish
Recognized speciesLivebearers
Adult size
Up to 7 cm
Up to 7 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A peaceful community tank with similar-sized fish
Think carefully if
- Your water is soft and acidic, which often causes poor health in livebearers
- You only want to keep one or two, because this fish needs a group of 5 or more
- You keep shrimp you want to protect
A small, hardy, spotted livebearer from southern South America, which prefers cool water. Keep a group of at least 5 in 54 litres or more.
Appearance and Identification
A small, hardy, spotted livebearer from southern South America, which prefers cool water. It suits an unheated tank, and it is easy to breed.
Check the scientific name when buying, as common names vary between sellers and countries.
Males have a gonopodium, which is a modified anal fin used for mating. Females are larger and rounder.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 110–160 litres an hour
- Minimum tank volume
- 54 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 60 cm
- Minimum group size
- 5
- Recommended group size
- 8
- Activity level
- Active
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Heavily planted
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Provide dense plants or floating cover for fry and for females that want a rest from males, and keep the water hard and alkaline.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Active, hardy and always on the move, with males displaying to females.
Keep a group, with two or three females for every male.
Not territorial, although some males chase each other.
Suits a peaceful community that likes hard water. Avoid fin nippers. Adults may eat shrimplets. It is likely to eat shrimp.
Water Parameters
Keep the pH steady, because this fish is sensitive to swings. This fish prefers cooler water than most tropical fish, and it may not need a heater in a warm room.
Parameter caveat
Keep up regular water changes, and acclimatise new fish slowly.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Flake with vegetable contentA good staple for these grazing fish.
- Frozen or live daphnia and brine shrimpOffer a few times a week.
- AlgaeThey graze on it throughout the day, and it is good for them.
A small omnivore that grazes algae. Feed fine flake with plant content and small frozen foods.
Feed small amounts, and remove anything left after a few minutes.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Livebearer
- Breeding difficulty
- Easy
- Parental care
- None
- Baby foods
- Crushed flake or powdered fry foodFry can eat this from birth.
- Newly hatched brine shrimpSpeeds up growth in the first weeks.
Gives birth to live young, with no special setup needed. Adults may eat fry, so provide dense plants or move a heavily pregnant female to a separate, planted tank.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, South America, Uruguay
- Natural habitat
- Brackish Water, Freshwater Stream, Pond, River
- Aquarium contexts
- Planted Aquarium
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Phalloceros
- Family
- Poeciliidae
- Species group
- Fish, Livebearers
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