Welcome Dennis! 

Have you looked into which killifish species to start with?  I started with Fundulopanchax gardneri about 4 years ago.

Ken

Hi Ken, glad to meet you!

At first I considered trying Nothobranchius Rachovii, but the AKA offered Fundulopanchax gardneri gold as a beginner pair and all I had to do was pay shipping. Although, I am not sure when they will be sent out, I have a tank all set up and ready for them.

Any tips on keeping/breeding this beautiful fish? Do you feed live, frozen, and or prepared foods? Do you keep them in pairs, trios or larger communities? Any good sources for their care?

Thanks, Dennis

Thanks for the advice, Ken.

I see that you did not mention adult brine shrimp. Does that mean that they are too big for an adult pair of Killi’s?

Thanks again, Dennis

Adult brine shrimp are readily accepted!

Welcome to the AKA. My experience with Fundulopanchax gardneri could have been better but that is entirely my fault. I stressed and fretted over them thinking they were so delicate but they aren’t. They were my first Killie just like you. One thing you should know is that the males are very ardent suitors and their amorous advances can sometimes be fatal. Watch them very close.

I received a trio and they were all very heathy! Thanks to Jacqueline’s fabulous shipping skills!

I feed them just about the same thing my Bettas eat, flake, small pellets, frozen Brine shrimp, frozen and freeze dried Bloodworms.

I have them in a HEAVILY planted tank. I did put in a few Cherry Shrimp but I think the male ate them. He is a little aggressive and chases the females every chance he gets which seems typical with many fishes, or at least the fish that I have kept. I have seen them breeding and I have noticed a few eggs.
 

Sorry about your cherry shrimp… Killies are pretty good at catching and eating shrimp. I tried larger shrimp with my Chromaphyosemions and a mid-sized male had no trouble swallowing a large shrimp bit by bit over the course of a day.

If you have the gardneri in a tank of their own that is well planted you should start to see fry emerge from the plants in a few weeks time. If you take them out, moving them to a new tank after 2 weeks in the one they are in now, then you will lots of fry appear in the tank. They are very easy to breed.

I have never had a gardneri male kill a female but they can begin to look a bit haggard after a while.

Good luck

Thank you. I see why they are listed as a beginner species now and I am glad I went with them instead of the nothobranchius rachovii to begin with.

I also breed bettas and have a couple cultures of Infusoria which I have dosed the tank with the Gardneri, in hopes that any fry will have access to food before I see them.

My father used tell me stories, when I was young about how he had Killi eggs sent in the mail and hatched out months later  . The thought of this has always interested me and I plan to try it soon, maybe with nothobranchius. Until then I am enjoying the Gardneri.

Thanks again, everyone has made me feel very welcome.