All fish / Poeciliidae

Hispaniolan Limia

Limia tridens

Also known as tridens limia, three-toothed limia, trident limia

A small livebearer from Hispaniola with a silvery body, faint dark bars and a yellowish tint, males showing darker markings on the dorsal fin. It is kept by livebearer enthusiasts as an active, peaceful grazer that helps keep algae down in hard-water community tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8.2

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: algae, spirulina flakes, blanched greens and small live or frozen foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic)

Breeding

Females give birth to small batches of live young about every four weeks after internal fertilisation by the male's gonopodium. Breeding is easy, and fry survive best with dense plants or a separate rearing tank.

Good to know

It prefers hard, alkaline water and can hybridise with other Limia species, so keep strains separate if you want to maintain pure lines.