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Fish Information (Killiefish)
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Aphyosemion
bitaeniatum (Two-stripped Aphyosemion)
Family:
Nothobranchiidae
Continent:
Africa
Distribution: Togo & Nigeria
Habitat: slow moving rivers & streams in coastal areas
Food:
Any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional value is low.
Water Temperature:
22- 26°C
Water Chemistry:
pH 7 or less, soft, acidic water but hardy
FBAS Size:
40mm
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
Imported size 30mm.
Similar in looks to A. bivitatum and
A. Loenbergii but a newer import. The females have the same body stripe as male and as the above killies. Eggs are smaller and gold in colour compared with the usual
australe & gardneri fry are also gold, they can be grown up with other killies but will not grow as quick and will have to be separated after a month or end up as dinner! The fish attaches eggs to spawning mops as
other Aphysemions but will also substrate spawn.
Aphyosemion loennbergii
(Loennbergs Killie)
Family:
Nothobranchiidae
Continent:
Africa
Distribution: import from Cameroon
Habitat: Slow moving rivers & streams
Food:
Any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional level is low.
Water Temperature:
22- 26°C
Water Chemistry:
pH 7 or less, soft, acidic water but hardy
FBAS Size:
none, but around 50 mm males, 45mm females
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
Imported size 30mm.
Similar in looks to A. bivitatum and
A. bitaeniatum but a newer import. The females have the same body stripe as males and as the above killies. Eggs are smaller and gold in colour compared with the usual
australe & gardneri fry are also gold, they can be grown up with other killies but will not grow as quick and will have to be separated after a month or end up as dinner! The fish attaches eggs to spawning mops as
other Aphysemions but will also substrate spawn.
Nothobranchius rachovii
(Blue-fin Notho)
Family:
Nothobranchiidae
Continent:
Africa
Distribution:
Mosambique, South Africa
Habitat: Temporary pools
Food:
Any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional level is low.
Water Temperature:
20-26°C
Water Chemistry:
pH 7 or less, soft, acidic water but hardy.
FBAS Size:
45mm (male) 40mm (female)
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
Annual fish that lays its eggs in the substrate. Best kept in a 250x200x200mm tank with a 25mm substrate of peat
(see peat preparation). Should be kept in pairs or trios (1male, 2 females) as male tend to be very aggressive towards each other. Egg need to dry-out for a period of 3-6 months before wetting
(see peat uses for more details)
. Young feed on Brine Shrimp from hatching
(see killifish data)
.
Nothobranchius patrizii
(Blue Notho)
Family:
Nothobranchiidae
Continent:
Africa
Distribution:
Kenya and Somalia
Habitat: temporary pools
Food:
any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional level is low.
Water Temperature:
22-26°C
Water Chemistry:
pH 7 or less, soft, acidic water but hardy
FBAS Size:
40mm (male) 35mm (female)
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
Annual fish that lays its eggs in the substrate. Best kept in a 250x200x200mm tank with a 25mm substrate of peat
(see peat preparation). Should be kept in pairs or trios (1male, 2 females) as male tend to be very aggressive towards each other. Egg need to dry-out for a period of 2-4 months before wetting
(see peat uses for more details)
. Young feed on Brine Shrimp from hatching.
(see killifish data).
Procatopus
nototaenia (Large-finned Lampeye)
Family:
Poeciliidae
Continent:
Africa
Distribution:
import from Cameroon
Habitat: small river & brooks in forests
Food:
Any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional level is low.
Water Temperature:
20-26°C
Water Chemistry:
soft, acidic water preferred
FBAS Size:
60mm (male) 50mm (female)
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
A difficult fish to maintain in the aquarium.
Procatopus similis (Moliwe Blue Lampeye)
Family:
Poeciliidae 
Continent:
Africa
Distribution:
import from Cameroon
Habitat: small river & brooks in coastal forests
Food:
Any live food such as bloodworm, glassworm, brine shrimp and whiteworm - don't feed too much daphnia as the nutritional level is low.
Water Temperature:
24-26°C
Water Chemistry:
soft, acidic water preferred but will tolerate most normal aquarium conditions.
FBAS Size:
60mm (male) 50mm (female)
FBAS Class:
F
Additional Information:
Imported size 30mm.
Lampeyes are a Poeciliidae found in South America & Africa. Similar in looks to nototeania & aberrans but
a newer import. Males, depending lighting conditions, can be neon green or blue, and have a red nuptial stripe. This killie is a continuous crevice spawner. I have four species of Lampeye in my tanks waiting to be named!
Image & Text by Robbie Kirkup
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