Description
Limia nigrofasciata is the hump-backed limia, a livebearer of about 5 to 6 cm from Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Adult males develop a hump along the spine, made of fatty tissue, which is what sets it apart at a glance. It is among the easiest limias to breed as long as soft, acidic water is avoided.
In the wild it swims in large shoals through shallow, heavily vegetated water, and in the aquarium it appreciates the same environment: plants and some open space to swim. It is Critically Endangered in its native range, so what is found in aquariums is hobbyist stock.
Behavior
Quiet and sociable: it swims in a group and fits a community tank as long as the water is not soft or acidic. As in other livebearers, males chase females relentlessly; it is best to keep several females per male and dense plants where they can rest.
It lives well with other genera of livebearers, hardy tetras, loricariids and corydoras.
Avoid housing it with soft, acidic water fish, which do not share its parameters.
Habitat
Limia nigrofasciata lives in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic, in shallow, heavily vegetated waters. It usually swims in large shoals and at several locations also occurs in brackish water. It is an endangered species: the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered since 2020.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
Very easy with water that is not soft or acidic. Gestation lasts six to eight weeks and broods of up to fifty fry are not unusual. The adults eat the young: the safest course is to move the gravid female to another tank to give birth there and return her afterwards.
Temperature is thought to influence sex: the warmer the water, the more females. The young, large at birth, accept brine shrimp nauplii or powdered flake from day one and can reach adult size in under six months if well fed. Small nets and traps are best avoided.
Diet
Omnivorous: it accepts almost anything, but the diet should include plant matter, fresh or as vegetable flakes.
- Staple: quality flakes or pellets with a plant component.
- Supplement: algae wafers and live or frozen food now and then.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.8 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 24–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 22–26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 22–26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
- Seriously FishSeriously Fish. Limia nigrofasciata. Ficha de especie; consultada 2026-10.
Water: FishBase gives pH 7-8, 9-19 dH and 25-28 °C; Seriously Fish, pH 7-8, 10-25 dGH and 22-26 °C. The wider range is used: pH 7-8, 9-25 dGH and 22-28 °C. Size: 5.2 cm SL in FishBase and 63 mm SL in Seriously Fish; the larger is taken. Tank: Seriously Fish asks for a 45 × 30 cm base (41 l). Distribution: FishBase gives Haiti; Seriously Fish, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Salinity: FishBase lists it as freshwater and Seriously Fish says it also occurs in brackish water at several locations; the profile treats it as freshwater. Status: the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered since 2020. Breeding: 20-30 young in FishBase; up to 50 in Seriously Fish. Name: «limia de bandas negras» is the chosen name (it translates nigrofasciata); FishBase calls it «Blackbarred limia» and Seriously Fish, «hump-backed limia».
Litres per fish and minimum tank height and depth: the profile's own judgement. Seriously Fish gives only the tank base and FishBase gives no tank sizes.
Lifespan: the profile's own estimate; the sources consulted do not give it.
Plan your next aquarium
Is this fish right for you? Plan a suitable aquarium before setting it up.