sunlight on gabunense killies

[GaryE]

I was walking by the tanks, conveniently moving my camera when I realized a beam of sunlight was hitting a male Aphyosemion gabunense dead on. And he was basking in it, showing off all his natural colouration. My snapshot is a touch overexposed and the glass wasn't photo quality cleaned, but he still looks good.

It's a small, peaceful fish that breeds rather easily, and lives about 3 years.

 

[Ichthys]

Beautiful. There’s no better light for showing a fish’s colours than sunlight. (imo).

 

[Back in the fold]

Breeds easily ? I bet I can prove that wrong. No more Aphyosemion or Fundulopanchax for me. Maybe give the Pachypanchax playfairii another shot or take the dive into Nothobranchius.

 

[GaryE]

Nothobranchius generally kick my butt. It's too cool in the room here. I put a pair of gabunense in a ten with some mops for about a week, took them out and now have 15 one cm juvies growing fast in there.

I failed with playfairi too. Like nothos, they like the mid 20s celsius, while gabunense and the like prefer it cooler - unheated tanks.

I hope you can make a go of Nothos. I have bred some - rubripinnis was a favourite. But it isn't my skillset and I hate using heaters.

 

[Back in the fold]

@GaryE I’ve just had to face the fact that there is some small variable I am not aware of that is stymieing my efforts to breed Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax. I just don’t have the touch or the patience to keep trying. I will keep trying but it is also time to explore other fish. That gabunense is a stunningly beautiful fish and is a great example of why I love Killifish and I hope that someday I can raise something like that but it does not appear that it will happen today. But , whatever happens , it is still fun trying.

 

[GaryE]

Killies are like any fish - you have to choose with your available water in mind. Water, and temperature. Both really matter.

I generally keep fish that thrive at under 23-24c. I aim for 22. I heat my Amazon tetra tanks, but the other fish do fine. I have extremely soft water, a real luxury for someone who likes the fish I do. Hardening water is easy (softening is a challenge), and that can be an issue with Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax. They like that rainforest water.

Asian and East African killies do well in harder, warmer water, so I avoid them now. I could make the effort to adjust things for them, but I'm unmotivated and kind of lazy. I like to pour dechlorinated tapwater into my tanks, and monitor the room water to know the tank temps.