35 Killifish Care Sheet

: Aquarium Care-Sheet-Killifish Care-Sheet-Killifish s

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Checklist

Never release your aquarium
animals or plants into the wild

Before purchase make sure that:

1

You have the appropriate equipment and position for
the aquarium.

2

You have researched all the species you are interested
in and your final choices are all compatible.

3

You are familiar with how to transport and release
your fish.

4

You are aware of the daily, weekly and monthly
maintenance your aquarium will require.

5

You are prepared to look after your fish properly for
the duration of their life.

Equipment
1 Glass or plastic aquarium
2 Gravel cleaner
3 Water testing kit
4 Tap water conditioner
5 Gravel
6 Filter
7 Food
8 Heater & thermometer
Before purchase make sure:

Never release an animal or plant bought for a home
aquarium into the wild. It is illegal and for most fish species
this will lead to an untimely and possibly lingering death
because they are not native to this country. Any animals or
plants that do survive might be harmful to the environment.

How to care for...

Killifish

Important things to remember
Always buy...
test kits and regularly check the water for ammonia, nitrite,
nitrate and pH. This will allow you to make sure the water in
your aquarium is not causing welfare problems for your fish.
Establish a routine...
for testing the water in your aquarium. Record your results
to enable you to highlight fluctuations quickly. Also check
the temperature of the water.
Maintain...
the water in the aquarium within the accepted parameters
highlighted in this leaflet. You may need to do regular water
changes to achieve this.
Always wash your hands...
making sure to rinse off all soap residues, before putting
them into your aquarium. Wash your hands again afterwards
and certainly before eating, drinking or smoking.
Never siphon by mouth...
A fish tank can harbour bacteria which can be harmful if
swallowed. Buy a specially designed aquarium gravel cleaner
which can be started without the need to place the siphon in
your mouth.

1 Water parameters are as advised in this leaflet.

Scan this code to
download an
electronic copy

2 The aquarium in which the fish is to be housed is large
enough for the adult of the species

3 If adding to an existing set up ensure the fish are

If in doubt contact
your OATA
retail member
for further
information

compatible

May 2013

© Copyright OATA Ltd 2010

35 Tropical freshwater fish

Introduction

Aquarium requirements

Feeding

Killifish, or ‘killies’, are a diverse group of generally small,
colourful fish. Their name is believed to be derived from the
Dutch for ‘pool’ or ‘puddle’. Owing to the temporary nature of
their habitat, some species have evolved interesting reproductive
strategies to ensure the survival of the species.

Aquarium size is largely dependent on the speices being kept.
Most of the average sized killies (Nothobranchius and Aphyosemion)
will do well in aquaria of approximately 30 litres, depending on the
number being kept. The larger species like panchax, are more
active, so may appreciate a volume of 90 litres or more.

Most species originate from Africa, although some can be found
in other parts of the world, including Asia and North & South
America.

The Aphyosemions are notorious jumpers so a tight-fitting hood is
essential, paying particular attention to any gaps at the corners and
where cables or pipework might enter or leave the aquarium.
The aquarium will need to be filtered and heated. Most species
enjoy the cover provided by vegetation so aquarium lighting is
highly recommended for good plant growth. Plants such as Java
moss make ideal natural spawning areas for the Aphyosemion
species. The lighting will also help to emphasise the colours of
these fish.

Most of these fish are omnivorous and will accept most
aquarium foods from flake to small pellets. This fish also enjoy
frozen and live foods which can also be useful to help bring
them into breeding condition. These fish should be fed 1 to 2
times a day, allowing them to eat as much as they can within a
few minutes. All uneaten food should be removed from the
aquarium to reduce waste build-up.

Water requirements
These fish all require very good water quality. The guide below
is a guideline as they can be acclimatised to other water types:
Temperature: 20 to 26°C
pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Ammonia: 0mg/l (0.02mg/l may be tolerated for short periods)
Nitrite: 0mg/l (0.2mg/l may be tolerated for short periods)
Hardness: Soft to medium (0 to 6°dH)

Biology
The majority of killifish species can be grouped into the
Nothobranchius or Aphyosemion genus (The latter has been
recently revised and species are now distributed across 3
separate genera).
Nothobranchius (sometimes called ‘nothos’ for short) are
recognisable by being deeper in the body and generally squatter
appearance, reaching no larger than 6cms. These fish normally
come from seasonal pools and as such, have a shorter life
expectancy. In captivity, and depending on the species, these
fish can live for 1 to 2 years These species bury their droughtresistant eggs within the mud of their drying habitats. When the
rains return, the pools refill stimulating the eggs to hatch.
Aphyosemion species are relatively elongated, but similarly sized
to the nothos. These fish are not from seasonal habitats, so
their life expectancy is generally longer. Instead of laying eggs
in mud, these fish lay hard, sticky eggs among vegetation.
Other species sometimes seen include the clown killi, also
originating from Africa, reaching no larger than 4cms, and the
striped or Golden Wonder panchax (Aplocheilus lineatus) which
can grow up to 10 cms.

As most of these species prefer soft, acidic water, a reverse osmosis
unit may help you achieve this if you live in a hard water area.
Alternatively, there are a number of proprietary products that can
be used to help soften water, such as peat and ion-exchange resins.

Maintenance
At least once every two weeks a partial water change of 25 to 30%
is strongly recommended (a siphon device is also useful to remove
waste from the gravel). The water should be tested regularly to
ensure pollutants such as ammonia and nitrites do not build up.
Ensure you either allow the replacement water to stand or aerate it
to remove any chlorine present. Ideally treat all replacement water
with tap water conditioner before adding to the aquarium.
Filters should be checked for clogging and blockages. If the filter
needs cleaning, then do not run it under the tap as any chlorine
present may kill the beneficial bacterial population that has
established in the media. Instead, it can be rinsed in the tank water
which is removed during a partial water change as this reduces the
amount of bacteria which are lost.
Good husbandry is essential as these fish can be stressed by even
the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. Test the water to
monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels every week,
especially during initial set-up and after adding extra fish.

Potential problems
A water quality problem will affect fish behaviour and can be
shown by clamped fins, reduced feeding, erratic swimming and
gasping at the surface. Immediately test the water if any of these
symptoms are shown. If in doubt ask your retailer for advice.

Compatibility
On the whole, these species are generally even-tempered. They
can nip the fins of some fish, especially those with long flowing
fins such as guppies or Siamese fighters. Most other smaller
species, such as the tetras, peaceful barbs and smaller catfish
should make fine companions.
Often, these species can be found in species-only aquaria. In a
small, heavily planted aquarium, the bright colours of these
small fish can make wonderful display aquaria.
Take care when keeping more than one type of killifish. The
females of different species within the same genus are almost
identical in coloration. Killifish hybridise quite readily, which
may result in losing the beauty of the parental species.

Breeding
Most species breed quite readily. The substrate spawners
(nothos) require a small pot filled with peat with a narrow
opening. Once conditioned, the male will drive the female into
the peat where they will lay eggs. Once spawning is complete,
the peat and eggs should be removed, the water gently wrung
out and then they can be stored for months before being
rehydrated.
The Aphyosemions can be encouraged to spawn in spawning
mops. Again, the male will drive the females into the mop
where hard, adhesive eggs will be laid. These can then be
picked off by hand and transferred to a separate aquarium for
hatching if desired.



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