note: if you can't see anything don't worry, it is black on black here but will print just fine.
Shene's Beginners' Guide to Killies
(Non Annual types)
As a short
preface and disclaimer, I wish to stress that there are hundreds, if not
thousands of species of killies, and there is no one set of rules that can be
applied to all of them. The following applies in general to a very large number
of African killies; namely Aphyosemion, Fundulopanchax and Epiplatys.
Part of the joy of keeping
killies is for you to find out what works for you for a particular species. The
following is intended to provide a good jump start on this knowledge.
Additionally, killies are most often kept as a "breeder-hobbyist"
fish, not for a decorative community tank in the living room with a "red
one, green one and some of those blue ones" to be replaced easily when
they are lost. Killies are great and avid jumpers. KEEP TANKS WELL COVERED.
They can be escape artists. Non-annual killifish typically have a lifespan that
depends upon water temperature. Warm (78 ish) degrees usually results in a half
year of growth to maturity and an adult lifespan in the realm of an additional
2 to 3 years. Cooler water killies i.e., (70 ish temperatures) adds
another half year to maturity and another year to lifespan. Remember, these are
generalities.
As a
starting point, killies are egg laying toothed carps, the “cousins” if you
will, to live bearing toothed carps (guppies, platys, swordtails etc.). They
are small top minnows. They live in nearly all regions of the world.
Why the stupid Latin names?
The real
question should be "Why are all fish not given their proper names?"
With the true species names, the fish are recognized by hobbyists world wide.
With local "colorful names" based on some attribute or sometimes
nothing at all, a uniform identification is near impossible. For many killies
it is taken a step further and within a species the location of collection,
year of collection and a collection code sometimes made from initials of the
collectors is used. Why be so specific? A "local variety" of a
species may actually be a new and different species. Also, just as dogs are
sold as "purebreds" so are killies where possible. You do not just
ask to buy a dog; you identify which variety you are after. From a good
breeder, you get assurance that the dog you bought will "breed true"
to its variety.
Annual versus Non annual killies
A
significant division is made between those that live in permanent bodies of
water and those that live in temporary bodies of water and thus live a short
life span, only during the period that water is present. Killies in this group
are known as “annual killifish”. The annual killifish place eggs in the
substrate of the habitat, sometimes actually diving into the dirt or sediment
at the bottom and disappearing from sight until an egg or a few eggs are
deposited. The eggs will lie in the mud or silt essentially undeveloped until
the pond or stream dries out. Once dry, the eggs begin to develop and when the
rains again come, some of the eggs will be ready to hatch. Not all will hatch
the first time the water returns since in nature it may again quickly dry. Some
eggs wait for the second or third wet period to hatch. The fry grow quickly and
are usually very competitive
since there
is little time to again start a new generation. Such annuals include many South
American killies and African Nothobranchius species. Until a "killie
hobbyist" gets his or her "feet wet", in my opinion it is best
to start with the "non" annual killies. This is for two reasons.
First, annuals are best obtained either directly from a breeder or via eggs. If
there is no one locally raising annuals, eggs are the best choice. With eggs,
you must be prepared for a long wait (3 to 9 months, depending on species) for
the proper wetting date. This wait can be discouraging. Second, incubation
temperature does play an important role in the length of the incubation period.
A beginner may not have the controls necessary to assure that the proper temperature
is maintained and thus try to hatch the eggs either too soon or too late. Once
hatched, the fry must have food immediately and a "beginning” killie
hobbyist is usually not well prepared for this.
I am trying
to only "temporarily" discourage beginners from working with annuals.
I feel it is better to start with some non annual killies, breed and raise fry
and then try annuals. In addition, I have not kept or raised many annual
killies and could not provide much sound advice. If you are determined to try
annuals, I suggest Cynolebias (now Simsonicthys) whitei as an
excellent annual killifish for a beginner.
Non annual
killies include some of the most colorful of freshwater fish, equaling many of
the salt water fish in beauty. If conditions are right, they will lay a few to
many eggs every day. Eggs typically take 2 to 3 weeks to develop and hatch.
Killie fry are not like fry of many other fish in that they are hatched free
swimming and looking for food immediately. They are in relatively hard egg
shell membranes and consume all egg nutrients prior to breaking out of the egg
shell. Since eggs are laid only a few at a time, there is no "spawn"
of fry to raise, but many fish of different ages. This is probably one of the
biggest reasons killies are not commonly raised or sold commercially. Another
reason that killies are a "breeding hobbyist fish" rather than an
“addition to the living room tank” is that they are not all that easy to find.
You cannot just run down to the local fish shop and get a "female"
because yours died or jumped out. You start with 2 pair of a species, breed
them and keep that species generation after generation. If you
do not, there is a chance you may not find that species for a long time. Very
few breeders will sell a single sex unless he or she has an excess of that sex.
Also postage alone for a replacement can actually exceed the initial cost of a
second pair!
Although
many killies can do well in a community tank, most people who keep killies keep
them in tanks isolated by species. A "breeding tank", usually a 2 1/2
to 5 1/2 gallons is used for each adult pair. Small containers
known as "egg boxes" are used to raise fry for a few weeks to a
month, and larger tanks are used to raise fry after a month or two of age (At
this age, they are too big for their older brothers and sisters to eat and fish
of several weeks to a month of age difference can be put together). When raised
together, a natural hierarchy of dominance is established and competition among
males is avoided if there is enough room for the fish. Different species of
killifish are usually not mixed in the same tank, unless males only are used.
If the species are very different, like a species of Epiplatys with a
species of Aphyosemion, it is safe to mix them assuming similar size and
temperment. Females of many species look
very similar and are difficult to distinguish for you and for males. Males will
mate with females of different species and produce sterile offspring that in
some cases will survive but may look like one of the parent species. This is NOT
GOOD! If such "mules" get out into the hobby, they can doom a
species in the hobby. Remember mixing DIFFERENT species, is not like
mixing a cocker spaniel with a collie (both dogs-same species, just different
varieties). You don't get a "mutt" you get a sterile offspring. As
with purebred dogs, different varieties and different locations of the same
species are not mixed since for many hobbysts, purebreds are more desirable.
OK, I want to try killies-what now?
First you
need to know a few things. Answers to the following will determine which, if
any, killies will work out well for you. Most Aphyosemion, Epiplatys and
Fundulopanchax species are best bred in soft, acidic water. A pH of 6.4 to 7.0
works well and a hardness of GH or KH of up to 6 is reasonable for breeding.
They will live just fine in muh harder water, but breeding is unlikely as eggs
will not be fertile. Some Fundulopanchax can breedl in slightly harder water
and some "difficult" Aphyosemions or wild caught fish require softer
water as low as 2 hardness. It is not likely that any you purchase will require
such values. If they do, the seller should be able to let you know. Also these
will probably cost you more than you wish to spend starting out.
1) What is
your water like? Hardness (DH), temperature, and pH
2) Are you
willing to use live foods? Hatch brine
shrimp, raise white worms or daphnia or will you restrict them to flake or to
frozen foods. Buying live foods at the local fish store can get quite
expensive.
1) Most
Aphyosemion, Fundulopanchax and Epiplatys killies will survive in hard alkaline
water, however, their natural habitat is over igneous rock and the water can
therefore dissolve few minerals, assuring soft water. Calcium and magnesium
carbonate in the water can cause the egg membrane to "harden" before
it is fertilized, resulting in mostly sterile eggs. The fish do not mind
(usually), but the eggs will. If your water is DH 0 to 4 from the tap, you are
in very good killie country. If 6 to 10 DH, many species will still do well
(many of the Fundulopanchax typically). If much greater than 10 DH, you will
probably have to take some measures to provide water more suited for them. As a
very limited supply, store purchased distilled (not spring) water can be added
in small quantities to a breeding tank. A reverse osmosis unit to produce such
pure water at home (cost-typically $80 to $200) is the salvation to many killie
keepers for an excellent supply of desirable water. If you have very hard water
>15 DH, consider lake cichlids, a very restricted menu of killies, or the
need for a source of more suitable water.
Killies from
2) Although
many killies will take frozen or flake foods, live foods are better for all and
especially if you want to breed them and raise fry. Some home prepared formulae
are excellent, however live food is often necessary for feeding fry since
motion attracts them to the food. This is probably true for most all aquarium
fish if your intent is to breed them successfully. Epiplatys species usually
prefer to feed at the surface and many will be quite happy with floating foods
like flake food and frozen clumps of food which float. Fundulopanchax are
typically prone to feed in the middle to bottom of the tank. They are usually larger than Aphyosemion and
less shy, so frozen foods usually will be taken. Many Aphyosemion species are
shy and unless very hungry will be hesitant to venture out from cover to seek
food that is not moving. As with all of the above, there are exceptions.
3) Finding a
source for killies is a never ending game. As you decide to venture into more
and more species, you will be contacting more and more killie keepers. A great
investment is a membership in the American Killifish Association (AKA). If in
Why so expensive?
Even easy to
breed and raise killies are still a lot of work. To breed the fish, raise they
young and package for shipment, $6 is a real bargain. It likely represents
absolutely no profit to the seller. Most killie breeders do it as a pleasurable
hobby and try to sell their extra fish, to make room for more and to help cover
the costs for food for their fish. Good starter fish are usually between $6 and
$10 a pair. More difficult species are sometimes found at super bargain prices
($12 to $20 a pr), but usually in very limited numbers. Such fish are difficult
to find. The breeder had to search and probably spend a pile on his initial
pair(s) and does deserve some credit for even making them available, usually at
a fraction his initial purchase cost. Depending on availability and difficulty,
killie prices can range from about $6 a pair to well over $100 a pair during
club auctions of new and/or rare species. Fish of this type should be avoided
by the beginner until he or she has some experience that shows success. In any
case most people who have such fish will not sell them to a beginner since it
is not "profit" that drives the sale, it is a desire to spread the
fish in the hobby to those he feels will do well with them after all the
efforts he has taken to acquire and raise them.
What kind should I start with?
This can
usually be determined once you have answered the questions on water and food
supply. For good beginner fish, usually most Fundulopanchax gardneri varieties
are good. They can do well in a wide variety of water conditions and take to
frozen foods well. For cooler water, Aphyosemion striatum varieties are a good
choice. Talk via phone or e-mail to your potential source. Be prepared to
answer the above two questions and to give some measure of your prior aquarium
fish experiences. This will allow the breeder to help you select a species or
two for starters. ALWAYS try to get two
pairs of any given species. This is very important. If a single fish is lost,
you will still have a pair and a spare with a 50/50 chance of having a pair
after a second loss. In addition, just like people, some individuals are more
prolific than others. If you get a single pair and do not have any luck in
breeding them, it could be the fish and not you! Do not be surprised if the
breeder will sell only pairs. If he or she offers trios, it is usually only
because he has an excess of one sex. Do not expect a breeder to sell you a
single sex of a species. In doing so, unless he has an excess of that sex, he
is stuck with the mate. Learn what the breeders water chemistry is like and
what foods he has been feeding. This is important to prevent early loss of your
new fish. If your water does not match his within reason, arrange to receive a
bag of his water with the fish. The postage is more, but well worth the cost in
ease of acclimation
Be pleased,
if the fish are young (possibly only half adult size)and have little adult
color. Young fish acclimate much better and you are much more likely to have
success with them. Good breeders will not typically sell older killifish. A
large pair may be young but well nourished. As you get to know the seller, you
will learn if you are getting good, young fish, not old ones. Any non annual 4
months to a year of age is reasonable. Some colder water killies do take a year
to mature, but these will probably not be good beginners killies anyway.
In my
experience it is usually beneficial to have a single pair of fish in a breeding
tank. A third fish will, in many cases, eat eggs or young of the breeding pair.
I have found a reverse trio (two males) less prone to such behavior than a trio
(two females). An odd male will compete with the other male for the female, but
a female will follow a pair and eat eggs as they are layed.
OK, I got them, now what?
First, if
possible, notify the seller that they arrived alive and well. He has more of an
investment in these fish than the selling price. He has probably nurtured them
for at least 5 months already and is anxious to know if the fish arrived alive
and well. If the seller guarenteed live delivery, I would not expect him to
honor this guarentee if you wait a week to notify him of a loss.
Remember,
these fish are not from your local fish shop and therefore are not acclimated
to your local water supply. Above, I told you to find out what water and foods
the fish you got are accustomed to so you can provide as easy an acclimation as
possible to avoid losing or stressing your new fish. Hopefully you have some water
prepared that is similar to accept the fish.
If you prepare your water in advance, you should have your fish into
their new home within hours.. If you did not do this ahead of time, it might
take several days. Do your homework and save a lot of fussing after you get
your fish. Your seller should be able to, and happy to provide this information
if you just ask. Mix no more than 25 % of your prepared water with the water in
which the fish arrived. Maintain this condition, in the bag, for a few hours. If
you receive the fish in "breathable bags" (you can tell as these bags
will have only water and NO air inside) do NOT float such bags in
your tank. They must have the surface of the bag exposed to air to allow oxygen
to enter the bag thru the bag walls or the fish will die. A small "critter
carrier (1 quart size)" works well for this also, but avoid strong
lighting so as not to frighten the fish. Dashing against a hard tank wall can
be a lot more damaging than hitting the soft wall of a bag. After a few hours,
you can start to drip your water into the container holding the new fish. One
drop per second should be fine. If the water is dripping and not running there
should be no problem, so dont bother to try to time the drops. A standard
airline is good for this. Just tie a loose knot in the airline and tighten the
knot to slow the water to droplets rather than a flow. It takes several days to
a week for a fish to acclimate to changes in DH greater than a factor of 2. A
change to softer water is more stressful than one from softer to harder water than
which the fish were accustomed. Keep this in mind before changing your new fish
over to your home water supply.
If you have
not set up water for your new fish that is similar to that which the breeder
suggested, you are in for some patience, work and risk. It takes several days
to a week for a fish to acclimate to water of DH vastly different (factor of 2
or more). If done too quickly, the fish will probably die. Your best bet is to
place the fish in a very small COVERED container and add 10% of your water
overnight by dripping. The next few days, add an additional 10%. DO NOT FEED
THE FISH. With the small amount of water present, it can easily foul. Keep
adding your water for at least 3 days and then add an equal amount of your
water. Use a larger container if needed. Wait a few more days and then move the
fish to your water. This is in some cases overly conservative, but should
assure the safety of the fish. As can be seen, it is wise to be prepared in
advance. This is a lot more effort than taken by the average "Fish
Store" They have a very big price markup and tend to lose a lot of fish.
Breeding
See articles
on Breeding
Mop spawners (Epiplatys and Aphyosemion) and Breeding
Bottom spawners (Fundulopanchax.) on my internet site at
http://shene.killi.net
Bill
Shenefelt
