killifish

[cutecotton]

hi everyone, i'm thinking of getting myself a pair of killifish, i saw some in my lfs...2 for $10.00, there were these yellowish ones, which i assume are the golden..panchax or something? and then there were these grey ones, with a black dot on their dorsal fins. I like the grey ones better!

does anyone here have a good iste for maintance and how to care for killifsh? maybe some information on sexing them? how woudl you tell the difference between a male and a female?

 

[Auratus]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=34983

It's not the best care sheet but it gives basic info. HTH

 

[cometcattle]

I wish I knew the names of the grey ones, CC. How much were those?


Here's some sites:

http/www.aka.org/

http/www.bka.org.uk/index.php

http/www.cka.org/

http/www.killifish.f9.co.uk/Killifish/Ki...bsite/Index.htm

The male is usually the colorful one, while the female is rather dull in color.

I have 2 pairs of Fundulopanchax gardneri. I keep one pair in a 5.5g, and another pair in a 10g community.

I keep my gold wonder in my 29g.

This is a good article that will explain the difference between annual, semi-annual, and non-annuals:

http/www.bka.org.uk/intro1.php

 

[cutecotton]

thanks guys!

the grey ones were also 2 for $10.00, they looked quite nice to me.

wow lots of info there thanks, i'll be sure to check them out.

Are they aggressive at all? i know they're usually pretty hrad to find...i assume they need oxygenated water right? i doubt they breathe on teh surface of the water like bettas?

 

[cometcattle]

thanks guys!

the grey ones were also 2 for $10.00, they looked quite nice to me.

wow lots of info there thanks, i'll be sure to check them out.

Are they aggressive at all? i know they're usually pretty hard to find...i assume they need oxygenated water right? i doubt they breathe on the surface of the water like bettas?

2 for $10 sounds really cheap, did they specify a pair?

Some can be kept in a community, some are better off in a species tank. The gold wonder will eat any fish it can fit in it's mouth which is Rather big.

My gardneri in the 10g community are in with 2 month old krib fry, and they're not eating them.

I've seen small killifish kept in 2.5g unfiltered. I would go larger. Nor would I keep them in a non-filtered tank.

The gold wonder is larger, I wouldn't keep one in anything less than a 20g.

 

[cutecotton]

well, they did specify a PAIR, but i doubt they'd gurantee a male and a female, so i assume it's TWO for $10.00 which seems to be quite a good deal to me.

I wonder if they'll do okay in a 10G with filter, but no heater?

 

[cometcattle]

well, they did specify a PAIR, but i doubt they'd guarantee a male and a female, so i assume it's TWO for $10.00 which seems to be quite a good deal to me.

I wonder if they'll do okay in a 10G with filter, but no heater?

They should be okay, but again, I'd need to know what species.

They should be able to sex them. The males are much more colorful.

Try to call them tomorrow and find out what kind they are.

I'll look for some pics or ask on the killie forum I'm a member of.

 

[cutecotton]

cool thanks, i'm porbably going to get those grey ones with a black dot on teh dorsal fin. My lfs doesn't know anything though so i'm not sure whether or not they'll be able to sex them properly.

Do they make a lot of mess? or are they like bettas and can be in an unfiltered tank but with lots of water changes? i assume they'll need some kind of aeration as i dont' believe they're surface breathers.

theyr'e so pretty! what makes me love them the most is that big mouth for some reason it always makes them look like theyre' smiling

 

[cometcattle]

cool thanks, i'm porbably going to get those grey ones with a black dot on teh dorsal fin. My lfs doesn't know anything though so i'm not sure whether or not they'll be able to sex them properly.

Do they make a lot of mess? or are they like bettas and can be in an unfiltered tank but with lots of water changes? i assume they'll need some kind of aeration as i dont' believe they're surface breathers.

theyr'e so pretty! what makes me love them the most is that big mouth for some reason it always makes them look like theyre' smiling

My gardneri don't seem to make a big mess, but I have been noticing a bit more since I have been conditioning one of the pairs with bloodworms.

I've never kept them in an unfiltered tank, so I couldn't tell you about that. I thought that was more for annuals, which I have never kept, but I'm not sure.

 

[cometcattle]

I think I know what your talking about.

Was it a blue panchax?

http/species.fishindex.com/species_1892a...ue_panchax.html

http/www.home.zonnet.nl/Ericnaus/Article...lus_panchax.htm

 

[cutecotton]

you are BRILLIANT! yes tha'ts exactly waht they look like! they are blue panchax..es! haha

anyways, the reason i'm asking is becuase i have a 10g that was used as a breeding tank, but has since been torn down. There's a sponge filter in there but that's about it

do you think i could put them in my 15g or 25g? (see sig)

 

[cometcattle]

In the 25, I'd maybe be worried about the gouramis and maybe the kribs, but these fish tend to stay close to the surface. In your 15g, I'm not sure about your bettas, but they might go at your guppies. In either tank, the fish will be much more relaxed if you add some floating plants. I threw a bunch of Hornworth clippings in my 29g for my gold wonder.

I think they would be fine in your 10g if you can maintain the temp at 76-78 (ish). Buy a cheap heater maybe. Then you'll eventually want to add bottom dwellers. Next thing you know, you'll have another community tank.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure your lid is sealed tightly, with no openings. These fish are jumpers. You might not want to fill your tank all the way.

If you get a pair, apparently they are easy to breed.

When the light strikes them the right way, you can see their blue sheen.

 

[cutecotton]

aww very cute i'm in love with them already! i hope the store still has them

i'm going to put them in the 10g and see how they do...if it looks like it's not working out i might move them into the other tanks.

I hope i can get a male and female...do you know how to tell the difference? i know my lfs won't i wouldn't trust them on it

 

[cometcattle]

I hope i can get a male and female...do you know how to tell the difference? i know my lfs won't i wouldn't trust them on it

It seems that the male has a white-ish or yellow-ish outline on their caudal fin, whereas the females are clear and colorless.

I think only the females fins have the black dot. I think the females have a more green-ish sheen.

This pic looks like a male:

http/www.aquazoo.co.uk/page.cfm/Type=Fish/ID=253

 

[cutecotton]

hmm interesting...i could have swore all the ones my lfs had black dots on thier dorsal fins i'm trying to find more info on them on the net, but is it just or is it really hard?

i'm think of setting up the 10G with teh sponge filter for them...gravel, plants..etc, with a few floating plants (water lettuce?)

going to find out this thing about a breeding mop and see what it is

the most importnat thing i need to do now is figure out how to sex them so i can get them tmr