Category: GCKA Library

        Ask any group of killikeepers about snails in their tanks, and you’re liable to get different answers from each of them. Some wouldn’t raise fish without snails; others swear at them and won’t have them under any conditions. Most aquarists fall somewhere between the two extremes.         Ted Klotz has red ramshorn snails “in…

From the electronic Killifish Mailing List, as forwarded by Cal Him By “Tomas”         If I may venture a guess, there are really “two modes” of annualism that I observed in Venezuela and to some extent in Guyana.         First, the Llanos region receives a large amount of rain. The temporary pools fill up with…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt        “I’m new to killies and have little experience, but killies look great and seem addictive. What species should I start with?”         We’ve probably all heard-and asked-that question, or variants of it. As beginners once ourselves, we know the importance of a good answer, and of a good starter fish,…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Most of us who have been in the hobby for a while know that killifish and their eggs can usually be very easily and safely shipped. It’s not magic, and it’s not an art. If the big breeders and importers can do it, so can you.         There are a…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         It’s not magic, and it’s not an art. If the big breeders and importers can do it, so can you, following a few basic rules. The fish must be healthy; they must have clean water; they must have an adequate supply of air; they must be protected from extremes of…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         You know why it’s important to use the correct latin names and collection codes for the fish you keep, especially when buying, selling, or trading them. You’ve even gotten comfortable recognizing those names in print, and to some extent, when spoken by others. But you haven’t yet reached the point…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         We’ve all seen it. We turn on the lights in the fishroom unexpectedly, we move too quickly when working near a tank, or we’re trying to net a specific fish, and all the fish in the tank suddenly go crazy, darting wildly and often stunning themselves against the glass.        …

        Sometimes too many snails can be a problem, even for those who like to keep snails in their killifish tanks.        However, for elimination of the pests it isn’t always necessary to sterilize the tank, or to resort to strong chemical anti-snail treatments.        “When I used to breed killies (mostly Aphyosemion australe) casually in planted setups,…

        If you raise fish, you eventually have to move the fry from one place to another. Catching fry is not always an easy task, especially for those fry that are unusually quick, particularly small, or extremely sensitive to shock due to handling or different water.         One of the simplest and safest methods for…

        Ask any group of aquarists their opinions on snails and you will receive a wide–and often emphatic–range of responses. Snails in aquaria can be highly beneficial, and equally problematical. Your opinion is probably influenced by the type of snails, and the kind of tanks you keep.         “Snails can be a lot of help,”…