• Scientific name: Girardinus metallicus
• Common name: Metallic livebearer
• Group: Livebearers
• Habitat: Central America; Cuba
• Size: Males:3-4 cm, females:7 cm
• Biotope: Ponds, lakes and streams.
• Social behavior: Peaceful, lives in hierarchic groups.
• Diet: Omnivorous, needs some plant matter(algae) as well as
• Breeding: Easy
• Tank: Minimum 50 litres
• Population: 5-7 fish for 70 litre
• Decoration: Floating plants.
• Temperature: 23-27 °C
• pH: 6-8
• Hardness: 8-20 NK°
• Lifespan: 3-4 years

Description: Well suited for the community tank, Girardinus metallicus is lively and peacefull, and can be kept together with small fish. They prefer clear water with little or no current, and well planted tanks. Some floating plants underneath which the fish can hide are highly appreciated. The fish shouldn't be kept in very small aquariums, best 60 cm or larger.

The breeding is easy, between 10 and 100 fry (depending on the size of the female) are born every 4-6 weeks, which can grow really fast and reach adult size in three months. For a large spawn it is necessary to separate the fry from the parents, since older females will sometimes eat the fry.