Home / Fishes / Killifish and livebearers / Charco Palma pupfish

No federal permit to keep

Charco Palma pupfish

Cyprinodon veronicae

Also known as Cachorrito de Charco Azul

Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Cyprinodontidae (Pupfish)

The Charco Palma pupfish (Cyprinodon veronicae) is a species of small fish in the family Cyprinodontidae.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Advanced

📷No free-license photo yet

FamilyPupfish

Adult lengthup to 2.2 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.2 in / 5.5 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 24 × 12 in (roughly 14 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Need not be too complicated so long as there are plenty of broken lines-of-sight.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Pupfish

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These fish occupy shallow vegetated fresh or saline waters, ranging from Florida marshes to coastal lagoons and the isolated Devils Hole pool. [fg179-flag, fg179-sheep, fg179-fws]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

The water range and housing minimum are for Jordanella floridae only. Cyprinodon variegatus can inhabit fresh, brackish and marine waters; this tolerance does not define every pupfish’s needs. Devils Hole pupfish are federally endangered and maintained in a conservation facility: this guide does not authorize their acquisition. Confirm lawful possession and conservation requirements before obtaining rare pupfish. No captive protocol is established here for C. eremus, C. macularius, C. longidorsalis, C. tularosa or Floridichthys carpio. Level 4 is an editorial rating reflecting conservation complexity; captive-bred flagfish are easier. [fg179-flag, fg179-sheep, fg179-fws]

Housing & setup

For a flagfish pair, use at least a 60 × 30 cm footprint; groups need more room.
Break sightlines with plants or spawning mops to provide cover between territorial males.
Use sponge filtration when eggs or fry are present.
Encourage filamentous algae for flagfish grazing.
Flagfish: pH 6.5–8.5 and 2–20 dGH; establish species and population requirements before choosing fresh or saline conditions.

Sources 944 945 946 947

Climate & lighting

Water

64.4–86°F

Sources 944 945 946 947

Diet

Algae or an algae-containing prepared food for flagfish.
Small live or frozen Artemia and Daphnia.
Small bloodworms and other appropriately sized invertebrate foods.

Sources 944 945 946 947

Social life

Flagfish males form territories; keep groups only with sufficient cover and space. Species-only maintenance is preferable for breeding.

Sources 944 945 946 947

Health watch

Aggression injuries under overcrowded conditions; a general aquarium-fish risk.
Ammonia-associated gill damage in inadequately cycled systems.
Skin parasites or secondary bacterial infections introduced with new fish.

Sources 944 945 946 947

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is endemic to the Ojo de Agua la Presa in southwestern Nuevo Leon state in Mexico. Although listed as critically endangered by the IUCN in 1996, the species is now extinct in the wild (only survives in captivity).

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Charco Palma pupfish” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. The springs at Ojo Charco Azul (= Barreno) are part of the Bolsón de Sandia complex, at 1600 m above sea level, and at the foot of Sierra Montelongo Pedregoso. The area is semiarid, with cacti other succulents; a densely woody area of cedar around the springs, except on the eastern side. Formerly the water was crystal clear at 19-20°C, but recently after depletion, the water is brown. Aquatic vegetation includes Ceratophyllum, Potamogeton, Typha, Eleocharis, Lemna, Utricularia, Scirpus, and Chara; crayfish Cambarellus sp. was observed. The bottom is loamy or muddy.
Water it lives in	Freshwater.
Climate	Tropical climate.

FishBase species summary: Cyprinodon veronicae

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The Charco Palma pupfish (Cyprinodon veronicae) is a species of small fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to the Ojo de Agua la Presa in southwestern Nuevo Leon state in Mexico. Although listed as critically endangered by the IUCN in 1996, the species is now extinct in the wild (only survives in captivity). The same freshwater spring system was the home of three other pupfish: Cyprinodon ceciliae (extinct), Cyprinodon inmemoriam (extinct) and Cyprinodon longidorsalis (extinct in the wild, survives in captivity). — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Biology	The springs at Ojo Charco Azul (= Barreno) are part of the Bolsón de Sandia complex, at 1600 m above sea level, and at the foot of Sierra Montelongo Pedregoso. The area is semiarid, with cacti other succulents; a densely woody area of cedar around the springs, except on the eastern side. Formerly the water was crystal clear at 19-20°C, but recently after depletion, the water is brown. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources2.1in

FishBase 1642.2

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Minimum tank footprint

Reported24in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16724

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Seriously Fish: Jordanella floridae Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
FishBase: Cyprinodon variegatus Peer-reviewed researchAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
US Fish and Wildlife Service: Inside Devils Hole Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.