About five years ago I found some Limia nigrofasciata from a Canadian breeder and ordered a group of six. They reproduced more slowly than my guppies, but soon I had a nice sized breeding colony. Last year a sudden catastrophe caused all but one of my Limias to die. The only remaining Limia was a tiny fry that grew into an adult male. I tried to order more from the breeder, but they didn't have any for sale.
I decided to order some Limia vittata from Aquabid.com. All three were fry that ended up being females. They were too young to be pre-hit when I got them, so it's safe to say they were virgins. They interbred with the last remaining L. nigrofasciata male. They drop fewer, larger fry than guppies do. I normally only see one or two at a time. Only one has grown up to be an adult - this female with spots AND stripes!
As you can see from the photos, she more closely resembles her father, the Humpbacked Limia. When she was a young fry, she had stripes but very few spots. As she ages, her spots become more apparent.
While photographing her today, I noticed a tiny addition to my Limia family. It's too soon to tell if this is one of her fry, or one of her younger siblings.
Limia nigrofasciata are called "Humpbacked Limia" because of the fatty deposit mature males develop on the head. They are silver with black vertical stripes. Females have white bellies, while males usually have a yellowish tinge on the lower face and belly. Dominant males develop many dark spots on the dorsal fin, which they use to impress females. Humpbacked Limias are native to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Limia vittata, the Cuban Limia, are a silver color with highly variable black spots and splotches. Some individuals may have yellowish spots or splotches as well. Males have a larger dorsal fin than females.
My hybrid Limia may not be as beautiful as either of her parents, and hybridization is generally not recommended. These fish are for my own personal enjoyment, and will not leave my aquarium to become invasive species or to end up in the hands of another hobbyist without knowing their heredity.
