Cauca molly

Poecilia caucana

A yellow dorsal with a dark basal patch and a blue-violet sheen.

The slender silvery male has a dark patch in its yellowish dorsal. Its metallic sheen changes with angle; females are generally larger and less colourful.

Adult length: Up to 3 cm
Water temperature: 26–28 °C
pH: 7–7.5
Hardness: 10–20 dGH

Natural habitat: Native to drainage systems from Darién, Panama, to the Cauca River in Colombia, and the Lake Maracaibo basin in Venezuela.

Reaches 3–5 cm TL. Keep at 26–28°C. Habitat pH 8.2–8.6 is a field observation, not a care target.

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Appearance and identification

Compare the male's yellow-and-black dorsal with the orange-red dorsal of the Liberty molly. These are separate species, not colour strains.

Same-species behaviour

Provide retreat space and monitor pursuit.

Diet and feeding

Offer suitably sized prepared foods and observe intake. Do not depend on aquarium algae alone.

Compatibility limits

Small size or overlapping temperatures do not prove compatibility.

Aquarium environment

Algal grazing does not replace feeding or maintenance.

Sources