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Care guide · Freshwater · fish

Metallic livebearer

Girardinus metallicus

Metallic livebearer (Girardinus metallicus)
Metallic livebearer in an aquarium. Photo: Foto-dami, CC BY 3.0 / GFDL. Photo: Foto-dami (Michael Göllnitz; colour adjustment: Togabi) · Source · CC BY 3.0 / GFDL 1.2+Existing image pipeline resizes proportionally; no crop or colour changes applied.

The metallic livebearer (Girardinus metallicus) is a small livebearing toothcarp from Cuba. It is peaceful and can suit a carefully chosen community aquarium, but water conditions matter: Seriously Fish describes medium-hard to hard water and also records brackish habitats. Keep conditions stable and provide plants and floating cover. During breeding, prevent males from persistently harassing a single female. When buying, confirm the species identity and prefer captive-bred fish. Treat the values as guidance and acclimate the fish gradually to the new aquarium.

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At a glance

Temperature
22–27 °C
pH
6.5–8.0
GH
8–20 °dGH
Aquarium length
At least 45 cm
Minimum aquarium volume
At least 41 L
Adult size
Up to 5 cm
Group size
At least 4 individuals
Temperament
Peaceful

About this species

Girardinus metallicus Poey, 1854 belongs to the family Poeciliidae. Males are smaller and have a gonopodium; a dark stripe along the underside is characteristic. Females grow larger. Sources give different length figures: Seriously Fish lists 6 cm standard length, while FishBase gives 5 cm total length. Because these metrics conflict, we do not present one exact maximum.

Natural habitat

The species is native to Cuba and has been reported from streams, ponds and ditches, including still and locally brackish waters. In an aquarium, use plants and floating cover for refuge. Keep water clean and stable.

Aquarium and layout

Seriously Fish gives a 45 × 30 cm base and about 41 litres as a minimum aquarium. Treat this as a source-specific lower guide, not a guarantee for every group composition. Plants and floating cover provide refuge while leaving open swimming space.

Water conditions

The aquarium guideline is 22–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and GH 8–20 dGH. It can be kept in hard freshwater; tankmates in a brackish setup must be selected for that environment. Do not add salt casually, and change water conditions gradually.

Behaviour and group size

The species is peaceful, but males may pursue females persistently. Keep several females per male and provide dense plants as refuge. Select tankmates for hard freshwater, or separately for a brackish setup. No individual species combinations have been added as verified relationships. The source gives no exact group minimum; four fish is used here as a practical lower guide for one male with several females, not as a quoted species-specific number.

Feeding

The metallic livebearer is omnivorous. Offer small live, frozen and dried foods, with a clear plant-based component such as algae food. A complete tropical staple can form the basis; supplementary algae food does not replace it.

Breeding

This livebearer breeds readily in suitable water. Males may persistently pursue females; several females per male and dense planting help distribute that pressure. Adults may eat fry. Separate a gravid female only when raising young is intended; fry then need fine foods and cover.

Sources & review

This care guide draws on several specialist sources and was last checked on .

View the sources