New here... need some adivice on killis

[Lizardbreath]

Hello, I just made an account for this specifically but plan on sticking around after now that ive seen how cool it is so heres the short version: I have two kilifish that I cant figure out the gender of. I want help with that and I also am curious uf theyd be ok in a heavily planted 10g eith a female imbelis im getting. Ive heard mixed things about killifish with bettas so id like some advice from someone who has tried this before. I want the word from EXPERIENCED personm no offense to those who havent tried it but theres alot of differing opinions about this and id like to here from someone whos actually tested it

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I would say they are both young males. One of which has a lot of red around the gills and face, which could be caused by poor water quality or something in the water that is irritating it.

Check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels in the tank and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water.

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What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

If you have hard water with a GH above 200ppm, you should either avoid the Gold Panchax and B. imbellis, or mix the water with reverse osmosis or distilled water to reduce the GH to 150ppm or less.

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When you say imbelis, I assume you mean Betta imbellis?
If yes, why do you want a single female B. imbellis?

Betta imbellis are uncommon and worth breeding. If I had a choice of keeping Betta imbellis or Gold Panchax, I would get a group of B. imbellis and breed them in a single species tank.

If the tank is big enough, you could keep Gold Panchax with Betta imbellis but I would not do it in an aquarium that is less than 36 inches (3 foot) long. The male Panchax can get grumpy and might have a go at the much smaller B. imbellis.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I would say they are both young males. One of which has a lot of red around the gills and face, which could be caused by poor water quality or something in the water that is irritating it.

Check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels in the tank and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water.

------------------------
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

If you have hard water with a GH above 200ppm, you should either avoid the Gold Panchax and B. imbellis, or mix the water with reverse osmosis or distilled water to reduce the GH to 150ppm or less.

------------------------
When you say imbelis, I assume you mean Betta imbellis?
If yes, why do you want a single female B. imbellis?

Betta imbellis are uncommon and worth breeding. If I had a choice of keeping Betta imbellis or Gold Panchax, I would get a group of B. imbellis and breed them in a single species tank.

If the tank is big enough, you could keep Gold Panchax with Betta imbellis but I would not do it in an aquarium that is less than 36 inches (3 foot) long. The male Panchax can get grumpy and might have a go at the much smaller B. imbellis.

Ok thank you so much for the help! I actually just got these guys from the pet store today so im not exactly surprised the poor guys irritated theyre in a newly set up 10g which is partially planted right now. Ill be getting more plants for it soon. And yes, i do mean b. Imbelis. Sorry for not specifying, im used to posting Qs on a betta focused forum because thats what i mostly deal with. Im a little obsessed. Good to know i can have a group of imbellis in a tank. This is my first time working with wilds (i know what youre gonna say- they jump! Ive got a lid). Im actually getting a blue alien hybrid as well whos a male. I was considering keeping them together but wasnt sure how well thatd go... ive never had much luck with breeding bettas and have attempted with domestics a few times before. Maybe if it works with the alien and imbellis ill get another tank for the alien and find a good wild caught male for the female imbelis (whos also wild). I figure if theyre wild caught you can be sure the line is pure. I might be able to get an imbelis with this shipment but that means ill have to find a lidded tank very quickly for the alien. Not sure if i want to risk not beun prepared when they arrive... I highly doubt both males could live in the same tank for any amount of time without fighting?

 

[Colin_T]

I have never heard of a blue alien hybrid, but I'm assuming it is a Betta splendens x Betta imbellis?
If it is a hybrid, I would not keep it with any other male Bettas because it could kill them if it's an aggressive male.

The best plant for Bettas and killifish is Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta). It is a floating plant but can also be grown in the substrate.

To breed Bettas that build a bubble nest, have water that is less than 12 inches deep (high), lots of floating plants, not too much surface turbulence because it breaks up the nest, have a cover on the tank, have the water temperature between 26-30C, feed the fish a varied diet consisting of dry, frozen (but defrosted) and live foods, and feed them 3-5 times per day for a couple of weeks before you breed them. Do big daily water changes when feeding more often, to keep the water clean.

For mouth brooding Bettas, have a tank full of plants and feed the fish 3-5 times a day, do big daily water changes, keep the water warm (26-30C) and let the fish do their thing.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Ok thanks for that info! And alien hybrids are considered wilds but no one really knows exactly what they are because the original breeder kept their lineage (i guess thats the right word?) A secret. Im not sure how aggressive they are but i dont really want to take that chance. I do have a spare 1g with a lid i could stick him in while I get another tank set up for him but i feel bad putting him in something small for any amount of time. I do have two weeks before they get here though so i should have time to prepare a new tank before they get here though if i do a fish in cyvle. This is all if i get a male imbellis too. The breeder im getting these guys from has one.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You could maybe ask the breeder, to determine the specific type?

 

[Lizardbreath]

Welk for the aliens how it happened is the original breeder of the hybrids didnt disclose how they created them that way theyre the only ones who can. Since then other breeders have purchased aliens and selectively bred them to look how they want them to, im buying from one of these breeders so they dont know the original combo and if they do they cant say. Its a good thought though

 

[Back in the fold]

Those Killies are Aplocheilus linneatus the so called Golden Wonder Killie or Gold Panchax. The picture shows very young ones. They have to get pretty big ( 3 to 4 inches) before they show sex differences. The female is quite drab and the male is slightly larger but a bit more colorful in the fins. They are really jumpers so seal your tank good.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Oh good to know! I heard they jump after i got them but the tank already has a lid dince uts gonba be homing a wild betta pair and their VERY well know for jumping to their death. They get 4 inches??! The pet store said they stop at 2 do i might have to rethink them being in the same tank as the bettas..

 

[Colin_T]

Male Gold Panchax can reach 3-4 inches, females about 2 inches.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Geez thisll be fun...

I took the original killis back and exchanged them for a more mature male and female. If there was a chance those younger ones might both be male i didnt want to risk it. Killis and bettas are already iffy let alone two male killis who may nit ger along. I want the least possible areas for potential aggression if im gonna try this out. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

 

[Colin_T]

If you want the least aggression, you would be better off using a different species of killifish to go with the Betta imbellis. Epiplaty dageti are small and peaceful and would work. Some of the smaller Aphyosemion killis would work too.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Alright, i doubt my lfs would sell those? I have no experience with killis and kinda just fell in love when i saw them at the pet store. Figured theyd be perfect for my imbellis tank with their contrasting colors... and then i started doing research...

Also, what would you say the chances of the gw killis working out are? I know i said i want the lowest risk in this situation but i also dont want to spend a ton more...i already spent a crap ton on these three bettas

 

[Colin_T]

Most Epiplaty, Aphyosemoin and Panchax Killifish are easy to keep and breed. You put a lot of plants in the tank and feed the fish, and they scatter a few eggs into the plants each day. If the adults are fed well and there are lots of plants in the tank, most of the babies will survive and hang out just under the surface. You can use a small plastic container to scoop the babies out and put them into a rearing tank to grow up.

If the adults eat the babies you can remove the plants containing the eggs, and put them in a hatching/ rearing tank.

Java Moss and Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) are the best plants for killifish.

 

[Lizardbreath]

Oh neat, ill be interested to see if these guys breed then. Do you know if most LFS will carry Epiplaty dageti? What would you say the cost for 2 or 3 of those guys would be?