Easy livebearer. Males chase females hard, so use a large, heavily planted tank with floating plants; adults are less cannibalistic than most livebearers and can stay with the fry.
One male to three females.
Planted 40 L tank with floating plants and hard water.
Warm water and a varied diet.
20-50 fry per brood after a gestation of 4-6 weeks; fry take newly hatched brine shrimp or powdered flake from birth.
Fry take baby brine shrimp and fine flake right away.
One breeding tank for the blue limia, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 22–28 °C · pH 7.5–8.5 · hard water
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 5 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A 120 cm rack for breeding the blue limia in numbers.
In total: 4 tanks, about 240 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.
Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.
Males are smaller and have a gonopodium; females are larger.
Typical for livebearers
A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.
Fry are born ready to swim. Thick plants or a breeding box keep them safe from adults.
Feed crushed flake, baby brine shrimp or microworms 3–5 times a day.
Males start to show color and a pointed anal fin. Separate them if you want to control lines.
Most livebearers are grown and can breed at about 3 months.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
A dark 'gravid spot' grows behind the belly. Gestation is usually about 4 weeks.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.