Poecilia parae Care Guide
Poecilia parae is a small livebearing fish from northern South America notable for at least five distinct, Y-linked male colour morphs.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Poecilia parae is a small livebearing fish related to the Endler's livebearer. It was described by Carl H. Eigenmann in 1894. Wikipedia notes that at least five distinct male colour morphs are known, with a single female colour form, and that male coloration is linked to the Y-chromosome.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Genus: Poecilia
- Scientific name: Poecilia parae
- Described by: Eigenmann, 1894
Habitat
FishBase records the species from South America, from Guyana to the Amazon River delta, in fresh and brackish waters. It inhabits small swamps and shallow, slow-flowing creeks with clear water and sandy-muddy substrate. Wikipedia adds that it occurs in estuaries with both fresh and brackish water.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.0
- GH: 8-18 °dGH
- Lifespan: 1-3 years
Diet
The species is a small omnivore. FishBase classifies it as omnivorous but does not detail specific prey items.
Compatibility
Poecilia parae is a small, peaceful, mid-water fish best kept with similarly sized, non-aggressive tankmates. Larger or boisterous fish should be avoided.
Breeding
The species is a livebearer. FishBase reports that females produce 5 to 15 young after about 24 days of gestation. Wikipedia notes laboratory studies of alternative male mating strategies, in which the most common morph is the most reproductively successful while females prefer rarer morph males.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 9 November 2020), as reported by FishBase.
Poecilia parae Breeding Guide
Overview
Poecilia parae is a small livebearing poeciliid from northern South America, ranging from Guyana to the mouth of the Amazon River, with the type locality in ditches at Para, Brazil. It inhabits estuaries, swamps and shallow slow-flowing creeks in fresh and brackish waters over sandy-muddy substrate. It is a nano-sized relative of Endler's livebearer and is best known for its striking male colour polymorphism; the form melanozona is especially popular in the aquarium trade.
Sexing
Sexual dimorphism is marked: FishBase gives males to about 3.0 cm and females to about 5.0 cm total length. Males occur in at least five distinct colour morphs while females have a single colour form; male coloration is Y-chromosome linked. Males carry a gonopodium. The most frequent morph is also the most reproductively successful, yet females tend to prefer rarer morphs.
Conditioning
FishBase places the species at 24-28 °C, pH 7.0-7.5 and hardness 5-10 dH in fresh or brackish water, with a low trophic level indicating it feeds on small organisms. A varied diet of small live and prepared foods conditions adults; the brackish-tolerant habitat allows slightly hard, neutral-to-alkaline maintenance.
Mating & Gestation
Fertilization is internal via the gonopodium. The species is ovoviviparous, and females give birth to 5 to 15 live young after a gestation period of about 24 days. The short gestation supports frequent broods in good conditions. Laboratory work has shown that the most frequent male morph is also the most reproductively successful, yet females tend to prefer rarer morphs, a balance that helps maintain the colour polymorphism over generations.
Birth & Fry Care
Broods are small but the fry are free-swimming and take very fine foods from birth. As with other small livebearers, dense planting or separating the gravid female improves fry survival. Maintaining multiple males allows the colour morphs to be observed and selected over generations.
Common Challenges
The small brood size means populations build slowly, so protecting fry from predation is especially worthwhile. The short lifespan typical of small poeciliids makes maintaining successive generations important for keeping a line going.