Livebearers
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Gambusia heterochir
Synonyms: none
Common Name: Clear Creek Gambusia
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  North America
Distribution:  Texas
Habitat:  springs with abundant plant life
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   22-29°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size: 25mm (male) 45mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: On the vulnerable list.  Female top, Male bottom.

Limia nigrofasciatus
Synonyms: Poecilia nigrofasciata
Common Names: Humpback Limia, Black-barred Limia
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Haiti
Habitat:  rivers, stream & lakes
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   22-29°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
Water Conditions:  
FBAS Size:  55mm (male) 60mm (female)
FBAS Class:  S
Additional Information: Male top, Female bottom.

Limia yaguajali
Synonyms: none
Common Name: Yaguajal limia
Family:  Poecilidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Rio Yagaujal, Dominican Republic
Habitat: rivers
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   22-29°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
Water Conditions:
FBAS Size:  40mm (male) 60mm (female)
FBAS Class:  S
Additional Information:

Nomorhamphus brembachi
Synonyms: none
Common Name: Celebes Halfbeak
Family:  Hemiramphidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  
Habitat:  rivers
Food:  live & flake foods of all types.
Water Temperature:   22-26°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size:  50mm
FBAS Class:  T or Tb
Additional Information: Imported size 50mm. Not a true livebearer, in Hemiramphidae, the males have a modified anal fin called an Andropodium and the females are usually without colour.  Gestation is around 45 days

Phallichthys amates
Synonyms: Phallichthys amates amates, Phallichthys amates pitieri
Common Name: Merry Widow
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Guatamala, Costa Rica, Panama
Habitat:  slow moving rivers in vegetation
Food:  live & flake foods of all types.
Water Temperature:   24-26°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH6-8
FBAS Size:  40mm (male) 55mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: A species which is easy to keep and breed.  There is a longer bodied version which was known as Phallichthys amates pittieri for a long time but has since been reclassified as P. amates

Phallichthys fairweatheri
Synonyms: none
Common Names: Picotee Livebearer
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Central Mexico, Guatamala, Honduras
Habitat:  slow moving rivers in vegetation
Food:  live & flake foods of all types.
Water Temperature:   24-28°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH6.6-8
FBAS Size:  35mm (male) 45mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: Not a species which is on sale regularly. Despite the male's eagerness to breed, see picture, they do not produce many broods.

Phallichthys quadripunctatus
Synonyms: none
Common Name: Spotted Merry Widow
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Costa Rica
Habitat:  slow moving rivers in vegetation
Food:  live & flake foods of all types, feeds on microscopic live food in wild.
Water Temperature:   26-35°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH6.5-8
FBAS Size:  20mm (male) 30mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: Another species not frequently imported. It small size makes it a candidate for smaller aquaria.

Phalloceros caudomaculata
Synonyms: Girardinus caudimaculatus
Common Names: Dusky Millions Fish, Spotted Phalloceros
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Belize, Honduras, Guatamala
Habitat:  rivers
Food:  live & flake foods of all types.
Water Temperature:   20-24°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size:  30mm (male) 50mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: Imported size 25mm. The genus name is tagged to the male and his unfeasibly long gonopdium! Without that and the attractive blue eye, they look similar to Gambusia affinis holbrooki, but without the habit of fin nipping fins. Three colour forms are known: a clear body with a tail-spot, speckled all over and a gold form.  Gestation and care similar to the guppy.

Poecilia wingei
Synonyms: none
Common Names: Endlers Livebearer
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  import from Guatamala
Habitat:  rivers
Food:  live & flake foods of all types.
Water Temperature:   20-36°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size: 20mm (male) 40mm (female)
FBAS Class:  O
Additional Information: The name of Endlers opens a huge door to colour variations; ‘how many bars doe the fish have?’ ‘the colour of the bars?’ and tail shapes?. These are wild caught from Guatemala and came to me from a couple of guys in Dundee, and they breed absolutely true, unlike the many you will find on e-bay. Needless to say they should not be kept with guppies (reticulata) branneri, picta or any other strain of wingei/endler, or you will end up with hybrids! Breeding is the same as guppies. The females are round tailed and without colour and males are metallic yellow with black stripes and show a trace of top sword.
Images & Text by Robbie Kirkup 

Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus
Synonyms: Heterandria bimaculatus
Common Names: Two-spot Livebearer, False Swordtail 
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Belize, Honduras, Guatamala
Habitat:  rivers
Food:  live food of all types, especially fish
Water Temperature:   20-30°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size:  60mm (male) 100mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information:

Skiffia francesae
Synonyms: none
Common Names: Golden Skiffia, Pastel Goodied
Family:  Goodeidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Mexico
Habitat:  rivers, stream & lakes
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   21-27°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size: 4 5mm (male) 55mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information:

Xiphophorus signum
Synonyms: Xiphophorus helleri signum
Common Names: Signum Sword
Family:  Poeciliidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Guatemala
Habitat:  rivers, stream & lakes
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   20-28°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size:  80mm (male) 100mm (female)
FBAS Class:   
Additional Information:

Zoogoneticus quintzeonsis
Synonyms: Platypoecilus quitzeoensis
Common Names: Picotee goodeid, Picotee splitfisn
Family:  Goodeidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Mexico
Habitat:  rivers, stream & lakes
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   21-27°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size:  40mm (male) 50mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information:

Zoogoneticus tequila
Synonyms: none
Common Names: Crescent Zoe, Tequila Splitfin
Family:  Goodeidae
Continent:  South America
Distribution:  Mexico
Habitat: rivers, stream & lakes
Food:  most types of dried & small live food such as daphnia & bloodworm, must also have vegetable matter such as algae.
Water Temperature:   21-27°C
Water Chemistry:   above pH7 preferred
FBAS Size: 40mm (male) 50mm (female)
FBAS Class:  T
Additional Information: