Category: GCKA Library

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Many a killikeeper has learned to his regret that many killifish not only will jump, but even seem to want to jump. They are now firm believers in the rule that “if they can jump out, they will,” and its corollary: “even if they can’t jump out, they will.” Leave a killie tank uncovered and you are almost certain…

        “Hybrids in killifish are intriguing,” admits Harry Specht. On the whole, however, hybrids are undesirable except for research or purely “hobby” purposes, where the fish are distributed in (at most) a very limited manner.         It is well known that many killifish will interbreed if given the opportunity; some may even produce beautiful (and…

        In the wild, fishes occupy a variety of niches, from high-acid jungle pools to extremely hard lake waters, from still sloughs filled with rotting vegetation to clear rushing mountain streams. In aquaria, fish are often forced to endure whatever water conditions come from the local tap.         A number of substances that are found…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Every aquarist knows what it is. Or do we?         Good water is a cornerstone of successful fishkeeping, along with adequate and appropriate food, proper lighting, the correct temperatures, and surroundings in which the fish feel comfortable. Only when all these conditions are met will the fish in our care…

       Inheritance of color (and other) characteristics is a subject of importance to anyone who breeds living things, since all offspring inherit their unique characteristics from their parent stock. It is the mixing of genetic material (genes) from the parents that gives each individual its own appearance, capabilities, and personality.         A recent article in…

The effects of the interaction of four fish species was studied in regard to their development and life history. The fishes were Fundulus heteroclitis, Cyprinodon variegatus, Lucania parva, and Menidida beryllina. The four species represented four types of feeding: C. variegatus, a herbivore; M. beryllina, a plankton feeder; L. parva, a small primary and secondary carnivore restricted to areas of dense vegetation; and F.…

Nico, LG; Thomerson, J.E.; Dept. Zoology, 223 Bertram Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611 ACTA BIOL. VENEZ., vol. 12, no. 3-4, pp. 106-120, 1989 For those who are interested in more information on the habits and habitat of South American annual fish: Sytopic associations among the six known Orinoco basin annual killifish were studied…

Etzel, V. Staatl. Veterinaeruntersuchungsamt Fische und Fischwaren, Hamburg-Amerika-St. 6, D-27472 Cuxhaven, FRG. Z. FISCHKD., vol. 3, no. 1., pp. 91-106, 1995. The relationships between ten populations of the killifish Epiplatys sexfasciatus were examined by crossbreeding experiments. The populations between Togo and Gabon appear to be closely related, but cannot be crossed freely. Differences in morphology and color…

 Every aquarist who does regular partial water changes (and we all should) is faced with the question of how best to condition water for aquarium use.      Many aquarists simply add a dechlorinating agent to their tap water, then allow it to sit for a while before use. Others have other methods.      “In [our water storage…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Color in killifish is always a good topic for animated discussion. Certainly there are enough colorful species among the Cyprinodontidae to keep even the most jaded aquarist interested. But color can vary widely, both among and within species. Especially with the annual killifish, males from the same spawn may vary…