Dwarf merry widow

Phallichthys tico

Small orange-brown fish have a black dorsal area with a pale blue edge and a long male gonopodium.

Adult length: Up to 2.5 cm (standard length, without the tail fin)
Water temperature: 24–28 °C
pH: 7–7.5
Hardness: 3–10 dGH

Natural habitat: Inhabits very shallow, slow waters connected to marshes, over mud, often near vegetated margins in turbid water.

Clean stable water and small food matter.

Appearance and identification

The dorsal fin's dark sector and pale edge are conspicuous, but folded fins can hide the edge. Compared with the separate flank spots of P. quadripunctatus, the dorsal fin is the easier place to look. Males have a long gonopodium; compare photographs of matching sex and stage.