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, one that’s tolerant of a beginner’s errors and attractive enough to warrant both the interest and the effort. So for the beginners-and the not so beginners-among us, here are a few recommendations for that first “starter” fish.
“There are many small, hardy killies which can be maintained in small aquaria … and are gentle and not very cannibalistic,” advises Harry Specht. “My choices for consideration are: Aphyosemion australe (either chocolate or gold), A. bivittatum Biafra, or A. geryi Robis 1. I have had fry survive among cover plants (or Java Moss) with all three species and they are beauties.”
Fundulopanchax gardneriis Wright Huntley’s recommendation, “without question. A. australe can be somewhat tricky, depending on your source stock. … F. gardneri can be bred in mops if you take some precautions to keep them from scarfing up all their eggs…. The parents can be kept and spawned in a gang in larger tanks if: a) you don’t mind a few nipped fins, and b) you provide enough structure and cover to protect the females.”
If you’re after show quality fish, you must breed them one pair at a time. Start with three pairs, if you can, and be sure to swap out the males and females to retain genetic diversity.
Both A. australe and F. gardneri can be bred in “natural” setups and in mops in tanks as small as 5 gallons. A. gardneri will as readily spawn in peat.
For beginners interested in the peat spawners, another suggestion is A. filamentosum. These fish require a fairly short 6-8 week incubation period, and have proven fairly tolerant of amateur handling.
For those who desire to begin with aquaria smaller than 5 gallons and want a fish that is nonaggressive and not too difficult to keep, Richard Sexton proposes the following: Epiplatys dageti Monrovia, E. annulatus, A. elberti, and A. bitaeniatum.
Whatever species you choose, remember to keep the tanks covered, the water clean and filtered (especially in small tanks), don’t forget those fairly frequent regular water changes, and try to feed a variety of foods. With a little care, your piscine charges should prosper.
— G.C.K.A. Newsletter, November 1998