From the British controlled Grand Cayman Island, just south of Cuba comes a new, at least to the hobby, a very interesting small livebearer. Limia caymanensis grows to about 1.5 inches with the females being slightly larger. It was first described by Rivas & Fink in 1970 in “A new Species of poeciliid fish of the genus Limia from the island of Grand Cayman, B.W.I.” Copeia 1970, No, 2: 270-274.
Males of this species will have a golden gray body with clear paired fins. The caudal and dorsal fins are a bright yellow with several black spots and of course a gonopodium. Along the lateral line there seems to be a double row of very small dark spots. Females, are more rounded with the same color fins as the males. The double row of dork spots along the side seems to be darker in the female.
This is a fish that will do very well in a ten gallon planted aquarium of slightly hard water that has about a tablespoon of salt added per gallon. Because of the salt you will have to used plants that are salt compatible such as Vallisneria, Anacharis or some of the sags. A small sponge filter or power filter will be adequate. Water temperature should be in th e mid 70’s with the pH in the 7.2 to 7.8 range. This fish seems to do very well on a good quality flake food diet with some baby brine shrimp or frozen brine shrimp on occasion. They also seem to pick constantly on the plants for algae or micro-organisms. Because of there small size and need for salt I keep them in a species only tank.
Like all Poeciliids, gestation is about 28 days at the above temperature. Fry are guppy size and do very well on BBS and micro-worms. There doesn’t seem to be much predation by the parents and I leave the fry in the same tank as the adults.