Unfortunately only very rarely we can offer this cute dwarf livebearer from Costa Rica. The males grow to a length of about 1.5 cm, the females to a maximum of twice this size. The species name “quadrimaculatus” refers to the typically four spots these fish have on their flanks. However, many variations also occur in nature. Some specimens have only one spot, others five, but in most the pattern looks like that of the females photographed for this post.
In nature, the dwarfs have to go through all sorts of things and are exposed to extremely different water conditions there. In the scientific original description, Bussing describes several biotopes, including a partly shaded, partly sunlit forest stream with clear, 20°C cool water, and turbid, fully sun-exposed residual water puddles where the water was 34°C. He also mentions that this species is shy in the aquarium, but sheds the shyness when kept with other, less shy fish in a densely planted aquarium.
We now have a few German offspring of this rarity in stock.
For our customers: the animals have code 278253 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
