Killifish

[Ben]

Hi Peoples.

Just thought I would share my new found love!
Killifish!

These little guys would have to be the most colourful and interesting type of fish I have ever kept and bred! And easy too! :wink:

I currently have 4 types on the go.

The picture below is a Fundulopanchax gardneri Akure blue male.
(Females look rather dull where the male has all colours!)

Most killifish come from various parts of Africa but I have some newly hatched babies from a South American type called Nematolebias whitei.
You can just make out the babies in the photo below.

There are basically 2 types of killi's.
Those that spawn in vegetation (called mop spawners) and the other type are very interesting those that spawn in peat, call peat spawners.

The later spawn their eggs in the peat, in nature where they live, their water supply dries up and the killifish die. But the eggs stay dormant until the rains come and this triggers the eggs to hatch.

In a captivity type situation we have to dry the peat and leave it for 8 weeks before the peat can be wetted and the baby killi's hatched.

Cheers
Ben

[Ben]

Some pictures collected off the net to show case their colours! :D

[wickedglass]

nice to see someone into killifish, I kept them many years ago. They'd have to be one of the most diversely coloured fish I've ever seen. They are indeed little jewels!

[marg]

Wow, they are really pretty!

What sort of Water Parameters, conditions etc. do they live in?

Are they the type of fish that you can have in a Community tank?

Regards,

Marg.

[nicholas76]

aaah Ben and his killifish


i must admit you have me hooked tooo!!


pics mate more pics

[Ben]

What sort of Water Parameters, conditions etc. do they live in?

Are they the type of fish that you can have in a Community tank?




Unfortunately they would be no good in with discus!
First of all, most of them are smallish in size and they prefer
Cool waters around 22-24.c

Some of the males can be a little "nippy" towards other fish but
If they have a few girls this will keep them occupied! :shock:

They are a very tough little fish and will live in sorts of water environments but normal Australian tap water is fine.

As I mentioned not only are they colourful they are quite easy to breed which is great compared to the humble discus!

A friend of mine who lives up in Canberra has excellent types of killifish and he has taken some amazing photographs of them. I will get him to post some pictures for us all.

Cheers
Ben
:D

[Merrilyn]

Good luck Ben. They are a gorgeous little fish. I've never kept them, but they certainly are some of the most colourful fish I've ever seen. :P

[Grae]

they truly are lovely fish
I have asked local stores here about them but no one is interested.
You guys east are so lucky!!!!

Graeme

[nem7902]

i used to have a nice little trio of blue lined**not sure on this** killifish but they jumped :( i forgot to put the net over the little gap :( was only a small gap about the size of a ten cent coin so just a heads up for anyone oging to try keep killifish

[KillieOrCory]

Hey! Is that a picture of my boy I send you? I am so proud :wink:

I'll put a few images of the adults in the photo section. Great to hear the enthusiasm there Ben. So what do you have now?

[Ben]

Hi Serkan,

They are going very well!! :D
although getting a little on the chubby side!:oops:

I know have:

Fundulopanchax gardneri Akure blue, care of you!
Fundulopanchax gardneri yellow, pair from Dean, and
Aphyosemion Bivittatum pair.

1 week old Nematolebias whitei fry and
1 week old Nothobranchius palmqvisti fry.

Soon i will get some wild caught Epiplatys bifasciatus!:shock:

I look foward to your pictures!

Cheers
Ben :D

[KillieOrCory]

Cool collection!!! and it took you 3 weeks to get that many species :shock: Well later on I am going to hassle you and/or Dean for some whitei.

When well set-up the Ep.bifasciatus look great! Mine share a tank with Pseudoepiplatys annulatus & Poropanchax normani.

Also if you can take a photo of your biv it would be great. I want to compare it to the
http://www.akvaryumhobisi.com/CKSG/bivmale.jpg
ones we have in Canberra.

[wickedglass]

My girlfried bought herself a pair of golden panchax (Aplocheilus lineatus) today. what stunning fish under lights they are! I'll try and get a pic up soon.

[KillieOrCory]

Hi Chris,

Great fish aren't they! Aplocheilus lineatus do not mind lover twenties as far as temp goes, but they love higher twenties. If you want you can put a floating mop and you should be able to start collecting eggs in short order.

It is very easy to do!

http://www.akvaryumhobisi.com/yumurta.jpg

Just pick the eggs keep them in a container with water from the parenets tank. Fry are quite big so easy to feed.

Good luck,

[nicholas76]

what do these fish retail for ????

can someone give us a price range?

beginners fish to your top end variety?

[wickedglass]

We got our pair of adult Aplocheilus lineatus for $12

[KillieOrCory]

Well how much they are worth is in the eye of the beholder. If you buy from breeders you are looking at $15-$20 per pair (Aphyosemion/Fundulopanchax species) for beginner species and $30 plus a pair for rarer ones. I've paid $120 a pair for a pair at an auction!!!

If you are buying them off shops expect to pay $30 to $60 per pair. This one
http://www.akvaryumhobisi.com/CKSG/JosPlateauMale.jpg
Fundulopanchax nigerianus Jos Plateau was $39.95 a pair in a Canberra Shop sourced from AI in Melbourne. Which was well worth the price really.

Dean in Melbourne said he saw this one:
http://www.akvaryumhobisi.com/CKSG/puerzli.jpg
Fundulopanchax puerzli Ndokama, in a Melb shop for $90 per pair which is slightly more than what I paid for but still well worth it.

You'll very rarely see Killifish in most shops but both AI and Bayfish carry different species of killifish, and you can always ask a shop to order some in for you with their next order.

Killifish are amazing fish that are highly undervalued here really. In US and Europe they are more sought after hence some species pricey.

If you can find a transhipper you can buy pairs of Aquabid as well; but you have to make sure they are on allowable import list - Aplocheilus, Epiplatys and Aphyosemion species only.

The fish like the Gold Panchax Aplocheilus lineatus and Blue Panchax:
http://www.akvaryumhobisi.com/CKSG/Aplocheilus_panchax.jpg
Aplocheilus panchax and Rainbow Panchax Aplocheilus dayi are all Asian species and can be found in the shops for under $10 a fish.

[wickedglass]

try Heinz Staude at All Aquarium and Pet supplies in Dunoon Court, Mulgrave, he often has killies of differerent genuses hanging around his shop. all his prices tend to be very reasonable.

[KillieOrCory]

About 8 or so years ago when I was visiting Melbourne I got some pairs of Aphyosemion australe Orange/Gold from All Aquariums & Pet; Heinz knows his fish.

Also Kyrill in Boronia knows a thing or two about killies as well! :wink:

[Ben]

LOL I just got back from Mulgrave aquarium!
Heinz had some excellent imported Argentinean bred Nematolebias whitei's!!!!

But all males! and noo girls

*sigh*

[Phlipper]

Ooooh ! this is interesting, I have a great fascination for the Golden Panchax, I have 5 males and 3 females, and are currently trying to breed them. I am often amazed they are not as popular as one would think, I find them intriguing and so colurful..so here is a picture.....you gotta admit these are one stunning fish