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No federal permit to keepScale-eating pupfish
Cyprinodon desquamator
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Cyprinodontidae (Pupfish)
Cyprinodon desquamator is a scale-eating species of pupfish in the genus Cyprinodon.
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 1.2 in / 3.07 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
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
- 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:
- Diet: “This species is a specialised lepidophage with approximately 50 % of the diet comprising the scales of other fishes.”
- Breeding: “Males have been observed guarding breeding in water of 0.05 to 1 m depth, and although breeding has been observed year-round it seems to be most common in summer.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
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.
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.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 64.4–86°F |
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.
Social life
- Flagfish males form territories; keep groups only with sufficient cover and space. Species-only maintenance is preferable for breeding.
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.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is endemic to hypersaline interior lakes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. It coexists alongside two other closely related Cyprinodon species C. brontotheroides and C. variegatus.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Cyprinodon desquamator” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
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, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits six hypersaline lakes (Crescent Pond, Osprey Lake, Oyster Lake, Little Lake, Mermaid Pond and Great Lake). Sympatric with Cyprinodon variegatus in all six lakes and with C. brontotheroides in four of the six lakes (except Great Lake and Mermaid Pond). These lakes are shallow, rarely exceeding 3 m depth, and densities of Cyprinodon are greatest in mats of macroalgae (Batophora, Acetabularia and Cladophora) and wigeongrass (Ruppia maritima) along the littoral margins of each lake. Feeds on scales of other fishes. Spawning occurs in spring and summer seasons, but it seems to be more common in the summer. Breeding territories are guarded by males. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
From the sources
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 | Cyprinodon desquamator is a scale-eating species of pupfish in the genus Cyprinodon. It is endemic to hypersaline interior lakes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. It coexists alongside two other closely related Cyprinodon species C. brontotheroides and C. variegatus. Together, these three species represent a recent adaptive radiation, each having moved into a difference niche within their specialized environment. — 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 | Inhabits six hypersaline lakes (Crescent Pond, Osprey Lake, Oyster Lake, Little Lake, Mermaid Pond and Great Lake). Sympatric with Cyprinodon variegatus in all six lakes and with C. brontotheroides in four of the six lakes (except Great Lake and Mermaid Pond). — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
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.
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