Category: GCKA Library

      Jack Heller says that if you’re handy, you can fairly easily make a supply of foam filters for your tanks. You’ll need:        · Foam rubber for the filter (from a fabric or auto parts store, or leftover packing material)        · 3/4″ PVC pipe for the stem        · 6″ Ceramic tiles for weight        · Silicon sealant Directions:      1. Cut 5-6″…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         It’s called fright syndrome, and we’ve all seen it: for no apparent reason, a fish suddenly begins a mad dash around the tank, bumping into walls and knocking into other objects before subsiding, motionless or quivering, on the bottom of the tank. Not only is this stressful to individual fish,…

We’ve all lost new fish as a result of the stresses of shipping and of aclimating them to their new environments. Lee Harper points out that the factors contributing most to the loss of new fish are sudden changes of osmotic pressure in the water (especially a sudden drop), and the results of sudden fright,…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Most killikeepers have at some time observed that the same fish, viewed under different lighting conditions, can appear entirely different. Sunlight from a window can transform a usually dull looking fish into a spectacular one; a fish that looks bland in a show tank can suddenly turn beautiful in a…

By Al Winstel This article first appeared in the GCKA Newsletter in May 1981.         The rearing and breeding of killies, just like any other earthly endeavor, is governed by certain immutable laws with which all killie keepers are familiar. However, it may help to restate a few, for newcomers to the hobby, and also for reconsideration…

Keeping Track …         At one time of another, all of us have “forgotten” what is located where.         When the number of species in our fishrooms rise above a critical level, remembering everything can become a major headache, and having the correct species names and collection sites for all the fish we keep is…

Beginners’ Corner Keepin’ Killies – A Primer         Beginners often ask, “what does it take to keep killies?”         Nothing more than it takes to successfully keep any of the more common tropical fish.         Although there are some species among the killifish that are very difficult to keep and breed, there are just as…

Old Killifish . . . Just How Long Do They Live? By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Among the many fish species available to aquarists, it is generally accepted as fact that many other species are longer lived than most of the killifish. This is certainly true; but just how long do killifish actually live?        …

Just for Fun …         Nothing says that keeping killifish has to be boring. Recently Paul Raymond presented a series of questions to the members of the (electronic) killifish mailing list, and received a number of replies to each question, including those given below. What is the biggest killie?         Nothobranchius ocellatus. Theywill reach up to…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         What does a judge look for in a killifish? I know that I have asked that question more than once, when confronted by the overwhelming numbers of fish and species in a showroom. How do judges determine which fish are winners and which are not?         As anyone who has…