All fish / Poeciliidae

Humpbacked limia

Limia nigrofasciata

Also known as humpback limia, black-barred limia, blackbarred limia, hump-backed limia, limia nigrofasciatus, リミア・ニグロファスキアータ, 黑带丽鱼将

A small livebearer from Haiti with a silvery to golden body crossed by thin dark vertical bars. Mature males grow a noticeable hump behind the head and a large, dark-edged dorsal fin, which makes them stand out from more common livebearers. It is kept for its unusual shape, hardiness and lively, peaceful behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8.2

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, with more females than males

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Haiti (Lake Miragoâne and nearby waters, Hispaniola)

Breeding

A livebearer that gives birth to small broods of fry after roughly four weeks of gestation. Breeding is easy in hard, alkaline water, and dense plants help fry survive as adults may eat them.

Good to know

Prefers hard, alkaline water and does poorly in soft, acidic conditions. Wild populations are restricted and threatened, so captive-bred stock should be kept pure rather than crossed with other limias.