All fish / Poeciliidae

Blackbarred Limia

Limia melanonotata

Also known as black-barred limia, hispaniolan limia, limia melanonota, blackbar limia

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A small livebearer from Hispaniola with a silvery body, dark vertical bars on the flanks and a black-edged, yellowish dorsal fin in males. It is kept by livebearer enthusiasts for its lively, peaceful nature and its habit of grazing algae in planted tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: algae, vegetable flakes, small live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp and daphnia

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti)

Breeding

Females give birth to small batches of live fry roughly every four weeks after internal fertilisation. Breeding is easy in hard, alkaline water, and dense plants help the fry avoid being eaten by adults.

Good to know

Rarely seen in shops and mostly passed between hobbyist breeders, so keep strains pure and avoid mixing with other Limia species, which can hybridise.