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Killifish info?

PotteryWalrus

Member
Joined
19 Jun 2020
Messages
43
Location
West Yorkshire
Does anyone know if there are more specific information sources on these guys? I'm hoping to get a mated pair of Aphyosemion Striatum in a few weeks, but Google searches seem to only show up generalised facts on killifish in general, rather than actual content on the individual subspecies.

To reiterate, they'll be going in a 60x30x30 planted tank, with shrimp and snails as tank mates. I've loved killifish ever since I first saw them in a fish care book and I am super psyched to finally own them, but the vagueries of the online info are making me kinda anxious ^^;;;
 
I've only kept aphyosemion gardneri jos plateau but if Striatum are similar, your shrimp will not last long.

Depending where you are located the British Killifish Association might be of interest. I looked at joining but there weren't any club meetings local to me at the time

The following link I found a really good read about killifish behaviour, not Striatum specific but a good read: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/giant-tank-for-killis.21368/
 
Thanks guys! Yeah, I'm giving the shrimp plenty of hiding places and boltholes, and since I'm planning to offer the killis a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic live food, I'm hoping they'll be well fed and enriched enough that they might not eat all of their tank mates lol

Also just in case, I've got a spare 20L set to one side just in case they wind up like foxes in the proverbial henhouse and I have to move the shrimp survivors somewhere safer XD
 
You should be ok if your shrimp have plenty of hiding places. A Striatum might take small shrimp but aren't as aggressive as Gardneri. I have shrimp with some Aphyosemion species in my 120cm tank and no problem.
If you want more information about killifish drop me a pm.
Cheers
John
 
Striatum are great, and quite peaceful, they're doable even in communities with others, can't speak for shrimp, but whatever you do close up any gaps in your lid lol, they'll find them
 
Also I was just thinking, my other great love in small predatory fish is the classic betta. I kept a long line of them in my teens - nothing really special breed-wise, mostly just petstore finds I nursed back to health and kept for a year or two apiece - and I was wondering how similar the behaviour is? As far as I can tell bettas are much more territorial, but apart from that?

As to anti-suicide security, I was thinking that besides giving them lots of floating plants and duck weed, I'd just use more of the plastic 'insect mesh' from amazon I use for my toadlets' roofing - this stuff here. It's tougher than it looks and works well with bulldog clips and pinch clamps. It probably won't be the prettiest solution, but I'm not here to win any prizes anyways XD

Lastly (for now) I've noticed that killis seem to like it water in the low twenties. How sensitive are they to temperature changes? I don't want to upset them or the other tank mates and it seems like my tank water is naturally hanging around 21-23c even without the heater on...
 
Your temperature is good and Striatum won't be bothered by variations. They might not breed at higher temperature but will survive. All killifish are not the same, some like it warmer some like it cold.
Cheers
 
Betta - Mine don't bother the shrimp. The fox in hen house is a good way to look at it - once certain fish spot a shrimp swimming past, they go into hunting mode and it's game over. One example is the pentazoa barb. Many accounts make them seem like timid fish, but once they see a shrimp they will push demolish obstacles to root it out and devour. Bettas seem to do well with shrimp. They revel in human company and can be kept with almost any fish species. They get familiar with you feeding them, especially live food, and just tend to wait around for the odd snack. They are a bit like that soft slightly cuddly domestic cat, that after about a day of chasing birds, decided to spend the rest of it's life malingering around your feet in the kitchen. They know you love 'em.
 
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