Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Maximum Size
7.5cm (3").
Temperature
24-27°C
Water Parameters
Unfussy, providing extremes are avoided. pH: 6.0-8.0, dH: up to 25 degrees.
Compatibility
Community
Lighting
No special requirements
Sexual Dimorphism
Males with very long and obvious gonopodium. Female fish grow much larger than the males.
Feeding
Flake, granules, pellets, algae wafers and frozen foods
Description
Care
The Merry Widow is a delightful live-bearing species for the peaceful community aquarium. It is a fairly deep bodied fish when mature; light grey-green in colour with a blue iridescence. The caudal fin and dorsal fin may be yellowish in colour with a black arc along the anterior of the dorsal fin, most prominent in male specimens. Male fish also often display several dark bars along the flanks. The tank should incorporate plenty of shady hiding places amongst dense planting, both rooted and floating varieties. This will help the fish to feel more secure and in turn they will show their best colours. The thick vegetation will also make the aquarium most aesthetically pleasing as well as protecting any fry. Merry Widows are best kept in colonies of 6 or more, with 2 females to every male. This is in order to prevent any single female from bearing the full brunt of the males" continual amorous intentions.
Feeding
Green flake, flake, micropellets, small frozen foods such as mosquito larvae/baby brineshrimp/vitamin-enriched brineshrimp/daphnia etc, and vegetable matter: blanched spinach, lettuce, kale etc. These fish will leave aquatic plants alone if a good proportion of vegetable matter is included in the diet.
Breeding
These livebearers are easy to breed. After a gestation period of approximately 28 days (largely dependent upon water temperature), the female will give birth to between 10 and 80 fry. A heavily planted aquarium should secure the safety of a good number of young, or else they can be placed in a breeding trap to grow on.
Where can I buy these aquarium fish or invertebrates?
If you like this species and would like to find out more, we have an enormous range of aquarium fish and invertebrates available to buy in all of our stores across the UK (including freshwater tropical and marine fish).
However, please note that this species may not be available in your chosen store, even if the store specialises in this particular species. This is due to seasonality and stock availability from store-to-store. Please check with your local store about availability of specific species to purchase before making a journey.
For delivery before Christmas, orders must be placed on or before 3pm on Wednesday 20th December. We cannot guarantee delivery of these orders pre-Christmas as we are reliant on our couriers, but will use our best endeavours to get orders placed on this date out to you before Christmas. For full details of our festive delivery and opening times click here
Please note: online orders placed after 3pm on Friday 22nd December will not be dispatched until the New Year. For full details of our festive delivery and opening times click here
