Acquiring Killifish for the home aquarium can be a challenging proposition.   With only a few exceptions, most pet shops do not normally have a supply of  killifish, and those that do usually bring in Fundulopanchax gardneri, Aphyosemion australe, or Fundulopanchax sjoestedti.

The more unusual and rarer species are seldom, if ever, found in tropical fish shops.

Fortunately, we now have access to the internet which allows killifish enthusiasts the ability to purchase the eggs or adults from specialty breeders, importers, and members of various killifish organizations throughout the world.

Although having the means to acquire killifish for the home aquarium makes the job of finding them easier,  it can be a challenge (especially for beginners) to know which species to purchase.

Unlike most tropical fish species that have common names, killifish are generally referred to by their scientific names.

This requires some education which can only be provided by joining a killiefish association, a killie group, a club, or learning about them from books, journals, or other publications on or off line.

Although some pet store proprietors are familiar with killifish, many owners sell fish that are incorrectly identified by their suppliers.

Many killifish species and local strains look very similar to each other and can easily be misidentified.   In addition, many unnamed or unidentified species that are collected in the wild are often combined with shipments of identifiable fish and shipped to importers as a by catch.

Nothobranchius rachovii Beira ’91, is a beautiful killifish strain that is identified by the year it was originally collected (1991), and the locality where it was found.   It has no common name.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts who are interested in keeping killifish would do well to concentrate on acquiring the following before moving on to some of the rarer and more difficult to keep species.

• Aphyosemion

Aphyosemion is a genus of African rivulines that as the name indicates, is endemic to Africa.   The killifish species in this genus are some of most popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and are also the most commonly available.

Almost all of the species in this genus come from West Africa, and are relatively easy to acquire, keep, and breed.

The Lyretail killifish (Aphyosemion australe) comes in three color forms;  Chocolate Brown, Orange, and Gold, and is one of the more common killies found in tropical fish shops.

Aphyosemion ahli,  Aphyosemion bivittatum, and Aphyosemion calliurum are also relatively common and make good “starter fish” for beginning killifish enthusiasts.

All are beautiful, easy to keep, and most can be easily bred using spawning mops, Java Moss, or floating plants like Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).

• Fundulopanchax

Several colorful species of the Fundulopanchax genus of killifish that are found in the near coastal fresh water streams and lakes of Western Africa, are also suitable for beginning killifish enthusiasts.

Among these are Fundulopanchax gardneri, Fundulopanchax sjoestedti, and Fundulopanchax filamentosus.

Fundulopanchax Sjoestedti pair

All of the species in this genus can be found in several color strains, and although some species like Fundulopanchax sjoestedti are more challenging to keep, most of the other species are easy to breed and care for and are suitable for beginning enthusiasts.

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti and Fundulopanchax filamentosus are bottom spawners.

Some species of Fundulopanchax gardneri are topwater spawners, while other species like Fundulopanchax gardneri nigerianus and Fundulopanchax gardneri garderni are both top and bottom spawners.

• Epiplatys

All species in the Epiplatys genus are surface feeding killifish that prey on insects and other organisms that inadvertently fall into the water.

Many species in the Epiplatys genus are larger than the average sized killiefish.   All of them are extremely hardy, easy to breed in an aquarium environment, and will lay their eggs on spawning mops or  floating plants.

Both Epiplatys sexfasciatus and Epiplatys fasciolatus are good choices for beginner killiefish enthusiasts however, Epiplatys annulatus should be avoided.

• Nothobranchius

Nothobranchius is a genus of small, freshwater, annual killifish that are found mainly in East Africa, from the Sudan to northern South Africa.

Several species occur in the upper regions of the Congo River Basin and two species are found in West Central Africa.   The largest number of over 70 species comes from Tanzania.

Without exception, these small East African annuals are prized for their beauty.

Nothobranchius rachovii

Nothobranchius rachovii is considered by many to be the most beautiful fresh water species in the world.   Unfortunately, all the species in this genus are short lived.

In their natural habitat, killifish in the Nothobranchius genus inhabit ephemeral pools that fill up during the monsoon season and dry up during the hot months.

Over the years, they have adapted to these harsh conditions and learned to lay their eggs in the substrate.   When the pools dry up and the parents die, the embryos survive in the hard clay by entering diapause, and when the pools fill up again during the wet season, the eggs hatch out and the life cycle repeats itself.

Nothobranchius furzeri reach adulthood in only 17 days and live for only 3 to 6 months

Breeding killies in this genus requires the patience of Job.   Their eggs need to be dried out of water for prolonged periods of as long as one year before they can hatch.

If you decide to try keeping any of these species, Nothobranchius guentheri or Nothobranchius korthausae would be an excellent choice for a beginner.

Although they are extremely hardy and can be kept in a variety of water conditions, most are susceptible to velvet disease.   In their natural habitats, they are often found in hard, alkaline pools of water but they do well in a variety of water conditions.

Adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoonful of salt per gallon of their aquarium water will minimizes any outbreaks.

• Nematolebias

The Nematolebias genus of killifish is native to South America and includes many popular aquarium specimens.

Nematolebias whitei is an elegant, easy to breed killifish suitable for beginning enthusiasts that is also easy to care for, however, like all species in the Nothobranchius genus, patience is needed to breed them.    Several months must elapse after spawning before the eggs will hatch out successfully.

• American killiefishes

Several species of killies in the genus Autrofundulus, Cyprinodon, Fundulus, Rachovia, and Rivulus among others, are good candidates for the home aquarium.

Jordenella floridae (Florida Flagfish)

Jordenella floridae (the Florida Flagfish) is found throughout the state, and is frequently found in tropical fish shops.

They are interesting, colorful, inexpensive, easy to keep breed, and make an excellent choice for beginner killifish enthusiasts.

Fundulus auroguttatus, Fundulus cingulatus, and the Golden Topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) are also some of the more colorful North American species that are easily kept in an aquarium environment.

The Desert Pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius) on the other hand, can survive extreme salinities, pH, temperature, and low oxygen content environments, but because it is on the endangered species list would not be an easily acquired species to keep.

Regardless of which genus you  acquire your species of killie from, some research is recommended before purchasing your specimen or their eggs.

Killifish are a group of egg laying tooth carps that comprise over 1270 species from various families including Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Profundulidae, Valenciida, and Rivulidae.   Of the 1270 species discovered, about 350 of these are found within the equatorial belts throughout the world.   The largest family Rivulidae, contains over 320 of the known species.

Although some of the specialized species of Killifish that have lifespans no longer than 9 or 10 months are found in temporary ponds, ditches, and puddles in the flood plains; most species of killifish have lifespans between 2 and 3 years, and are found in the lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams that have water throughout the year.    These killifish (Cyprinodon, Fundulus and Rivulus) are common in the Americas, Africa, Asia (including Aphyosemion, Aplocheilus, Epiplatys, Fundulopanchax and Lacustricola) and Southern Europe (Aphanius).

In the Americas, Killifish can be found as far south as Argentina, and as far north as southern Ontario.   They have also been found in Southern Europe, South Africa, as far south as Vietnam in Asia, the Middle East, and on several islands in the Indian Ocean.   To date, no species of Killifish has been discovered in Antarctica, Australia, or in Northern Europe.

Killilfish are an extremely hardy species that can withstand a wide range of temperatures, salinities, and pollutants (such as organochloride fertilizers and pesticides) however, most killifish in their natural habitat live in a soft, slightly acidic water environment, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8, and at temperatures between 71 to 80° F.    Several species of Killifish are found only in extremely harsh ephemeral aquatic environments, where they have learned to survive and even thrive in periods of total or partial dehydration.

Although Killifish are primarily a freshwater species, they are also found in brackish to saltwater environments, and in areas where very few other fish species could survive.

Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis)

The Devil’s Hole in Nevada, is an example of such an extreme environment that has a constant salinity and temperatures of 92 °F.

The Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is the only natural resident of this 300′ deep cavern.

The eggs of many annual killifish species are like plant seeds, and rely on periods of drought in order for hatching to successfully take place.   Their eggs, when entirely submerged in water will not survive more than a few weeks unless they are allowed to dry out to be later reconstituted.

This fact makes the sale and distribution of many annual killifish species a simple matter of mailing the eggs, without the need for water to the recipient, so they can be hatched out at a later date.   A few species like adult Kryptolebias marmoratus can even survive out of water for several weeks.   However, few Killifish fall into this category.

All 1270 species of Killifish can be separated into three distinct breeding categories:

• Annual species
• Semi Annual species
• Non Annual species

Annual species mature quickly and are generally short lived.   In their natural habitats, they are found in small ponds, ditches, puddles, etc. that dry up for sometimes for extended periods of months to years.   Killifish in this category tend to spawn continuously over extended periods to ensure the survival of the next generation.

A small number of eggs (usually only 3 to 5) are laid daily over a period of weeks, until the puddle or pond that they live in dries up.   The eggs remain dormant in a state of hibernation known as diapauses, until the coming of the rainy season, when the puddle or pond again fills up with water to stimulate the hatching of the eggs.   The eggs will hatch out in a matter of hours after the introduction of water.   The young of annual killifish species grow to adulthood very quickly, and as soon as they reach maturity, they immediately begin their spawning activities to continue the life cycle.   This process is ongoing until the pond or puddle dries up again and a new generation of killifish is produced.

Semi Annual species are generally longer lived than the annual species, and are found in areas that do not totally dry out in their natural habitat during the dry season.   The ponds, ditches, and puddles that they are found in may hold water throughout the dry season and at the worst, dry out to a moist muddy bottom as the rains subside.

These killifish are substrate spawners that lay their eggs in the muddy sediment or organic debris at the bottom of the pond or ditch.   As the rains subside, the water evaporates and the eggs remain damp and partially dry out in the sediment for periods of up to four months.   When the rains return again, the eggs hatch out within a few days and the live cycle begins again.

Semi annual killifish species can be bred in an aquarium environment by simulating these conditions using peat moss, spawning mops, or Java Moss.   Removing the eggs with the substrate, and partially drying them out for a period of 30 to 60 or more days (depending on species) essentially duplicates the spawning conditions.   The eggs usually hatch out in a just few days after the introduction of water to the substrate.

Non Annual species are the longest lived of the three groups, and many (such as the Aphyosemion genus) can live up to five years or more in an aquarium environment.  These fish live in small streams, ponds, and other permanent bodies of water that do not dry up during periods of drought.   Non Annual killifish are harder to keep and are usually more challenging to breed.

Most of them are plant spawners that in an aquarium environment are bred using spawning mops or Java Moss.   The eggs are incubated in water, not allowed to dry out, and usually hatch out in about 20 to 30 days depending on water temperature and species.

Blue Gularis Killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti)

The largest killifish species can grow to almost 6 inches in length, but most killifish are less than 2 inches long.

Many klillifish species are as brightly colored as salt water fish and are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts in the aquarium hobby.

Males are generally more colorful than females and often have incredibly elegant finnage.   The females are usually larger than the males and are always less brightly colored.

Most killifish are territorial and will defend their areas from other males in the tank.   They will vigorously mate with any available female in the area.   When housed in an aquarium environment, it’s best to keep at least two or three females for every male in the tank.   If you place more than a couple males in the same tank, it’s best to include at least three females for every male fish to minimize aggression.

In their natural habitat, the majority of Killifish are carnivorous and consume insect larvae, small invertebrates, mosquito larvae, worms, and zooplankton, however several species in the Americas do consume algae and other aquatic plant matter.

All killifish are great jumpers.   In their natural habitats, they often jump from puddle to puddle as their environments shrink.   In an aquarium environment, they need either a tightly fitting lid or some floating plants to discourage them from jumping out ot the tank.

Throughout the world, Killifish are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts for their beauty, finnage, and breeding challenges, but they are also used as bait fish in many areas of the world, in laboratory studies in a variety of learning, aging, pigmentation, embryological, and endocrinological experiments, in inter tidal and nearshore pollution tolerance studies, and as a biological control agent to reduce mosquito populations in fresh and brackish waters.

If you have never come across any of these gorgeous little fish, it is probably because most tropical fish shops do not have a steady killifish supplier.

Unlike many other species of tropical fish, commercial suppliers are unable to mass produce killifish.   Therefore, most species are bred by small breeders out of their homes and occasionally sold to commercial suppliers, or are wild caught.

Shipping wild caught specimens is an expensive proposition.  Mainly because the males of most species fight when in close confinement, creating sometimes huge losses in shipments.    Additionally, most killies are excellent jumpers and because many fish shop employees do not keep their tanks tightly covered,  lots of expensive stock often ends up on the fish shop floor.

If you can find a pair of killifish in your local pet shop, you can be expected to pay in the neighborhood of $20 to $50 or more per pair.

Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts breed killifish which are then distributed within killifish societies throughout the world.    If you care to join one of these societies online, many of these specialty breeders will sell the eggs and occasionally the adults at reasonable prices, and may even give away the eggs to members.

One of the best source of killies is the Fish and Egg Listing (F&EL) found in the Business Newsletter of the AKA (American Killifish Association).

The Blue Gularis Killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) is native to the water holes, streams, and marsh areas of Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa.

Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts regard the Blue Gularis Killifish as one of the best known and most sought after of all killifishes.

Blue Gularis Killifish Pair (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti)

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti is a large, colorful, semi aggressive, killifish that possesses a three forked tail that often has long streamers emanating from the tips.

Males have a distinctive color pattern that is predominately blue on the back and orangeish colored on the flanks, with dark reddish brown stripes.   The sides of the fish are purplish in color, overlaid with white spots and the head also has white spots with red markings.

Adult males are a vibrant blue and red color, with a distinctive three pronged “ice blue” colored tail that is sprinkled with random black striations and spots.

The middle of the three pronged tail is colored a light to fiery orange that is lightly outlined in black.   They have rather large pectoral fins that are trimmed in white along the outer edges and splashed with brown spots.   The yellowish blue dorsal fin is patterned similar to the caudal fin.

Several colour forms are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, including a smaller variety known as the Dwarf Red Gularis.

Female Blue Gularis are smaller and lack the gaudy colors of the male.   They are usually colored a drab gray to brown color and have faint black spots, stripes, and reddish spots on the fins, with faint light red bars behind the eye.

Blue Gularis are relatively easy to keep in an aquarium environment and will thrive in a wide range of water conditions.

Although they can be kept in a community aquarium, they do best when housed alone in a biotope setting in a densely planted aquarium of at least 20 gallons, with a fine gravel or sandy substrate and with a layer of peat moss or Indian Almond Leaves on the bottom to keep the water softer and on the acidic side.   Driftwood or bogwood should be provided for cover along with a fewfloating plants to diffuse any overhead lighting and lessen the chances of the fish jumping from the tank.   Blue Gularis are accomplished jumpers, so the tank should have a tight fitting cover if floating plants are not provided.

Blue Gularis are relatively easy to breed substrate spawners, but getting the eggs to hatch into fry can sometimes be a challenge.   Because they are not an annual species, it is not necessary to remove their eggs from the water after spawning for them to hatch.   Females will deposit their eggs, which will generally hatch out in about 2 months, in a spawning mop or in Java Moss
.   After hatching, the young should be placed in a separate rearing tank and fed newly hatched brine shrimp,daphnia, or grindal worms.

Although many breeders use no filtration during breeding, a small corner sponge filter is recommended to promote water circulation, prevent stagnation, and minimize any fungal growths on the eggs.   The breeding tank should be kept dark with a layer of peat or Indian Almond Leaves on the bottom, and the water in the breeding tank should be soft, with a pH of about 6.5 and a temperature in the range of 74 to 78°F.

Because young Blue Gularis pairs commonly produce infertile eggs, it’s a good idea to choose an older trio of one male, to two females and separately condition them until the females become plump, on a diet of live black worms, tubifex, chopped earthworms, or mosquito larvae, before introducing them into the spawning tank.

If the water conditions are acceptable to the trio, spawning should commence rapidly with the females depositing their eggs on the spawning mops,, Java Moss
, or peat moss on the tank bottom.   A week or so after spawning, place the parents in separate tanks so the females can recuperate

Some of the eggs will be eaten if they are left in the breeding tank with the parents, so it’s a good idea to either remove the parents or the eggs, a week or so after each spawning.

When professional breeders incubate the eggs in water, they transfer the eggs into to a small tank with some of the original water from the spawning tank, to a depth of about 1 or 2 inches.   A few drops of Methylene Blue is then added to the water, and because the eggs are light sensitive, the tank is kept in complete darkness for about 3 weeks.   Daily checks are made for any white or fungused eggs which should be immediately removed.

An alternate method of hatching out the eggs is to remove any white (infertile) eggs from the tank a few days after spawning, and placing them on a bed of moist peat to incubate them.   Allow the peat from the aquarium to dry on a paper towel for a couple of hours, and then place it in a plastic zip lock bag labeled with the spawning date. Keep the bag at a room temperature of 70 to 75 degrees for 10 to 12 weeks, and then place the eggs with the peat into the rearing tank.   Wetting the eggs simulates the onset of rains in arid climates where the eggs remain buried in the soil and stimulates hatching.

The fry have no yolk sacs and are able to eat microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp within an hour or so after hatching.

One of the biggest problems Fundulopanchax sjoestedti breeders encounter using the first method is infertile or fungused eggs, however, the use of Indian Almond leaves will often solve the fungus problem.   The decomposition of the leaves in the tank produces desirable chemicals and microorganisms that can minimize fungus problems and be a benefit to the fry.

In their natural habitat, Blue Gularis feed on a variety of worms, crustaceans, mosquito larvae, small fish, and animal matter.   In an aquarium environment, they will thrive on live or frozen blackworms, bloodworms, daphnia, white worms, brine shrimp, tubifex, and chopped earthworms.

Although they will occasionally eat prepared and freeze dried foods, it should not be their primary diet.

When housed In a community tank, do not keep them with small guppies as they will hunt them down and eat them.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts can purchase Blue Gularis Killifish from specialty shops and from breeders online when they are approximately 1″ to 2-1/2″ in size.  They are generally sold in pairs and command high prices.

Blue Gularis Killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti)

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-79° F, KH 6-12, 5-20H, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 5¼”
Color Form: Black, Blue, Green, Red, Tan, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Community and Biotope tanks
Origin: Nigeria, Cameroon, tank raised
Family: Aplocheilidae
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Experienced

The Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus), also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Moonfish, Southern Platyfish, or Mickey Mouse Platy is native to North and Central America, but is also found in Belize and Central Mexico.

Platys share similar habitats with, and are closely related to Green Swordtails, which they will readily interbreed with when given the opportunity.  They are both found in ponds, canals, slow moving streams, backwaters, and even drainage ditches throughout their range.

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

The Platy is an easy to care for livebearer that comes in a plethora of color and fin variations, with the most common being a brilliant solid red, and like some other livebearers, is considered an invasive species in several countries.

Wild Xiphophorus maculatus are drab in color and lack the distinctive dark lateral line that is common to many Xiphophorus species, but breeders have developed a multitude of color varieties for the aquarium trade that commonly includes orange, red, scarlet, yellow, red/black, black/white, blue, etc.

Some of the more common Platy variations include the Wagtail, Blue, Simpson Tuxedo, and Simpson Coral Platy.

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy Hybrid (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy Hybrid (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy(Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Female Southern Platyfish have a fan shaped anal fin and grow to a maximum size of 2.5 inches.

Although sexual dimorphism is slight, the caudal fin of the male is more pointed and the anal fin has evolved into a stick shaped gonopodium, which is used for reproduction.  Females are usually larger than males and both sport the same bright color patterns.

The males are almost always more brightly colored than the females.  Wild specimens of both sexes posses a distinctive dark lateral line.

All Platys are omnivorous and in their natural habitat forage on algae, plant matter, small insects, worms, mosquito larvae, and crustaceans.

The Common Platy is a hardy, easy to keep species that is perfect for beginning tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

They are best housed in a densely planted, well maintained aquarium of at least 10 gallon capacity, with a gravel substrate, some driftwood, river rocks, and hardy plants like Java Fern or Java Moss for the young to hide among.  They are peaceful livebearers that can be housed with many other peaceful species

The Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is extremely easy to breed in a pond or aquarium environment and is capable of reproducing when they are only three or four months old.

Nothing special is required to trigger breeding activity, just make sure you have a larger ratio of females to males in the breeding tank or community aquarium.   Two or three females to every male will be just fine and when they begin to breed, the males will constantly try to breed with every female in the tank.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to place them in larger quarters with Java Moss for them to hide among.  When confined, the males continual advances will often stress out individual females to the point of death.

Once a female is impregnated, her belly will quickly swell and a dark gravid spot will appear near the anal fin.  The dark spot is actually the dark eyes of the fry pressing against the interior of the female’s belly.

After the female gives birth to the young, remove either the fry or the parents to a rearing tank.  Platys will quickly eat their young, which is why lots of cover is needed in a community tank if you plan to keep them together and save a few.  Water Sprite, Cabomba, Java Moss, etc. will give the fry a place to hide in and a fighting chance of survival.

You need to have a plan to deal with the continuous supply of babies you will undoubtedly acquire when keeping Platys.  A 30 gallon or larger tank will allow the plentiful supply of fry to grow to adulthood without overcrowding.  You can then give them away, trade, or sell them.

Like most livebearers, the newly born fry are pretty well developed, so no special fry food is needed.  They are able to eat powdered flake food as well as live, frozen, or freeze dried baby brine shrimp, microworms, daphnia, microworms,   When housed in a large tank they will grow quickly and

As adults, Platys do well on commercially prepared omnivore flakes, spiurilina flakes and live, frozen, or freeze dried bloodworms, blackworms, tubifex, daphnia
, brine shrimp, Drosophila fruit flies, and mosquito larvae.

Most varieties are readily available from tropical fish keeping shops or online when they are 3/4″ to 1-1/2″ in length at reasonable prices.

Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 64-79° F, KH 10-25, pH 7.0-8.5
Max. Size: 2 1/2″
Color Form: Assorted, Orange, Red, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility:  Peaceful Community Tanks
Origin:  North and Central America
Family:  Poeciliidae
Lifespan: 3 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Oranda Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Holland Ironmask goldfish, Wen, Flower of the Water, or Fancy Oranda, and are arguably one of the most popular goldfish breeds in the world.

Like all goldfish breeds, Orandas are descendants of a species of Central Asian (Siberian) wild carp known as the Prussian Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio).

Oranda goldfish are distinguished by a prominent bubble like head growth or hood on the head known as the wen, or crown.  Except for the eyes and mouth, the fleshy growth in mature specimens can completely encase the head of the fish.

Except for their heads, Oranda goldfish are similar to Veiltail Goldfish.   They have a short rounded or egg shaped body, with shimmering (almost metallic looking) scales, a split fan tail that is shorter than the Veiltail.  Except for their split tail fin, their fins are paired and unlike the Lionhead goldfish, they posses a dorsal fin.

Orange Oranda (Carassius auratus)

Orandas are available in a plethora of colors which is often incorporated in their name description.

Their metallic or matte scales can be colored black, red, white, calico, black and white, chocolate, white with a red Wen, bronze, and recently even a rare blue variety.

The fleshy Wen begins to develop in the Oranda when the fish is about 3 or 4 months old, but it takes about two years for the hood to become fully developed.   Although it is impossible to sex young Oranda goldfish, the males are generally smaller and slimmer than the females.  During the breeding season the male develops white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on their head and gill covers and the females, when viewed from above, are much fatter in appearance.

Oranda Goldfish are best housed in a tank of at least 30 gallon capacity with a medium gravel substrate, decorated with some colder water plants, a piece of driftwood or bogwood, some smooth rocks, and floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting.   Their Wen is somewhat delicate and bacterial infections can become a problem with sharp edged rocks, driftwood, or decomposing plants.  They are scavengers and will try to uproot live plants, especially when planted in fine gravel or a sandy substrate.

Orandas are a social species that should be housed (uncrowded) with at least 4 or 5 of their own kind.   They are a peaceful, slow moving species that should be kept with other slow moving relatives like the Lionhead Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish, and Celestial Eye Goldfish.   These are all delicate, slow moving varieties with poor vision, that when housed together should get plenty to eat.

All goldfish produce a tremendous amount of waste.  They need regular water changes and a good
filtration system that does not create a strong flow of current in the tank.   Orandas require a lot of oxygen, so an air stone is recommended along with a tank that provides the maximum amount of surface area (breeder tank) per fish.

Like all species of goldfish, the fancy Oranada Goldfish is not a true tropical fish.   They are a cold water species that does best at temperatures between 65 – 72° F but unlike other goldfish species, they cannot tolerate temperatures under 60° F.   They can tolerate salinity levels below 10% and specific gravity less than 1.002.

Orandas are egg layers that are relatively easy to breed in an aquarium environment.  In the wild, they always breed during the spring in groups as small as five individuals.

To mimic springtime breeding conditions in an aquarium environment, you will first need to stock some healthy fish into a breeding tank planted with Anacharis or other oxygenating plants.  Some solid surfaces (like clean slate) and/or spawning mops should be provided for the eggs to adhere to.

Induce spawning by feeding the fish live brine shrimp, worms, etc. several times a day, slowly lowering the water temperature to around 60° F, and then slowly warming the water approximately 3° F per day until spawning commences.   Spawning activity will usually occur when the water temperature reaches between 68° and 74° F.   During this process, the water quality in the breeding tank should be maintained with daily partial water changes of up to 20 %.

When the fish are ready to spawn, the male will push the female against the plants to stimulate her. She will drop tiny eggs that when fertilized by the males will adhere to the plants, slate, or spawning mops by sticky threads. Females can lay as many as 10,000 eggs per spawn over a period of three to four hours.

Separate the parents from the eggs immediately after spawning as the parents will devour as many eggs as possible.   Depending on the water temperature, the fertilized eggs will hatch in 4 to 7 days. Feed the fry specialty fry foods until they are able to consume crushed goldfish flakes or brine shrimp.

Fancy Oranda Goldfish are omnivorous and will eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods.   A good quality flake food with supplemental feedings of live, frozen, or freeze dried brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia, or tubifex worms will keep them free of parasites or bacterial infections.

Avoid overfeeding but because of their poor vision, allow them plenty of time to eat before removing any excess food from the tank.

Oranda Goldfish are relatively inexpensive and readily available in most tropical fish keeping shops and online as juveniles and/or adults. The fancier and rarer color variations like the blue scale variety are usually much more expensive.

Black Oranda Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Minimum Tank Size: 20-30 gallons
Care Level: Moderately Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 65-72° F, KH 2-15, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 7″
Color Form: Black, Red, White, Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Other slow moving species
Origin: Asia, China, Farm Raised
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Nannostomus (Nannostomus anduzei)

The Miniature Nannostomus (Nannostomus anduzei) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Anduzi’s Naqnnostomus and Miniature Pencilfish, is found about 20 kilometers north of Puerto Ayacucho in Venezuela’s upper Orinoco river basin.   It has also been collected from one other area several hundred kilometers farther south in the rio Ererê  drainage, a minor tributary of the middle rio Negro basin in the  Amazonas state, Brazil.

The Miniature Nannostomus is a peaceful, shoaling, species that is the smallest member of the genus, and although relatively common as a by-catch among shipments from Manaus, are rarely available in large numbers to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Nannostomus anduzei are collected in extremely shallow and slow moving perennial forest streams (called Caño Provincial) over sandy white substrates, with submerged roots and leaf litter.   The Caño Provincial originates from a freshwater spring surrounded by Mauritia flexuosa (the Moriche Palm) and flows about 2000 m into a wide, shallow lagoon next to the Rio Orinoco.  The lagoon has turbid water, with a mud substrate that supports both emerging and floating vegetation.

In December of 1984, when the species was originally collected, the water chemistry of the Caño Provincial had a pH of 5.0, and a water temperature of 80.6°F.   The water in the lagoon where Nannostomus anduzei was also collected among the plants was 86°F, at a pH between 5.0-7.0.    None of the fish were collected from the surrounding acidic black water habitats however, the  Brazilian rio Ererê fish were collected from a black water biotope, with all males possessing longer anal fins.

The Miniature Nannostomus is a very small fish.  They become sexually mature at less than .5 inch and achieve a maximum length of only .63 inch as fully mature adults.  Despite their diminutive size, they are a strikingly colored species.

Nannostomus anduzei

They have a golden brown body with a metallic gold stripe that runs the length of the body along the lateral line.  They have patches of brilliant cranberry red on their anal and caudal fins.

Males have a longer anal fin, with some of the surrounding muscle modified to enable mating, are slimmer bodied, and are more brilliantly colored around the red patches on their anal and caudal fins, especially when in breeding condition.

Females can have a brighter metallic gold body stripe than males but the red patches on their anal and caudal fins are always less brilliant and somewhat paler compared to males.

Although they can be housed with other small fish such as Paracheirodon simulans (which it is sometimes exported with as a by-catch) in a small community aquarium, it’s small size and timid nature makes the Miniature Pencilfish particularly suited to a nano aquarium environment.

Place as many as you can acquire, or at least 10 individuals, in a densely planted aquarium of fine leaved plants of at least 15 gallon capacity, with a dark sandy substrate, some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting, driftwood for the fish to hide among, and some Indian Almond Leaves or other leaf litter to promote the growth of microbe colonies.   The decomposition of the dried Indian Almond leaves releases tannins and other beneficial chemicals into the water and establishing a secondary food source for the tiny fish.

Miniature Nannostomus need a lot of free swimming space and clean, aged, slow moving water conditions in their aquarium, which makes a good filtration system and frequent water changes mandatory.  Gentle filtration with an air powered sponge type filter should be adequate.

Although breeding Miniature Nannostomus is not reported to be easy, they have been bred in an aquarium environment.  Their eggs are laid and fertilized between the leaves of fine leaved plants.   After spawning, the parents should be removed from the breeding tank and after three days, the eggs hatch out.  The fry should be fed fine infusoria when they become free swimming and freshly hatched baby brine shrimp or finely crushed omnivore flakes as they grow.

Nannostomus anduzei is an omnivorous micro-predator that in their natural habitat feed on small worms, invertebrates, and zooplankton in the water column.    In an aquarium environment, their small mouths and overall size require small portions of crushed flake foods, and daily offerings of live, frozen, or freeze dried brine shrimp, tubifex, microworms, grindal worms, Moina, etc.  They reportedly browse on algae and biofilm which may represent a significant portion of their diet.

Miniature Nannostomus are almost never intentionally exported from the wild for sale to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts however, occasional specimens do turn up as a by-catch with other species, primarily from Manaus shipments.    They can occasionally be found for sale online, but almost never in tropical fish shops.

Nannostomus anduzei

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-83° F,  H 18 – 90 ppm, pH: 5.0 – 6.5
Max Size: .5 – .64″
Color Form: Brown, Gold, Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Nano- tank
Origin: Venezuela, Brazi
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: Unknown
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Bubble Eye Goldfish (Carassius auratus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Water Bubble Eye Goldfish, are descendants of a species of Central Asian (Siberia) wild carp known as the Prussian Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio).

Bubble Eye Goldfish are one of the more than 125 captive bred fancy goldfish varieties, that like their ancestors, inhabit slower moving and stagnant waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, and ditches where they feed on plants, detritus, small crustaceans, and insects.

Bubble Eye Goldfish were originally developed in China, and by the early 1500s were vigorously traded in Japan.   By the 1600s they had made their way into Europe, and eventually by the 1800s into the Americas.   Throughout the centuries, Asian breeders developed the majority of fancy goldfish colors and shapes that we see today in the tropical fish keeping arena, including the Bubble Eyes and closely related Celestial varieties. Domesticated goldfish are now distributed world wide.

Bubble Eye Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Bubble Eye Goldfish are an egg shaped variety that have a double tail, no dorsal fin, and upturned eyes above fluid filled sacks that begin to develop when they reach 6 to 9 months of age.  Their body size and shape is similar to the Celestial Goldfish, which is a bit slimmer and whose eyes are more extremely upturned.  They have poor eyesight and although most specimens purchased in the Americas do not have dorsal fins, one China bred variety is bred with a dorsal fin.

Mature Bubble Eye Goldfish generally grow to a length of 5 inches or more. When they reach 2 years of age, the two distinguishing fluid filled pouches of skin on it’s cheeks become almost grossly large and delicate looking. They are bred in a variety of solid colors that include red, blue, chocolate, and black; as well as red/white, red/black, and calico bi-colored specimens.

Bubble Eye Goldfish are best housed in a tank of at least 20 gallons with a medium gravel substrate, decorated with some colder water plants, a piece of driftwood or bogwood, some smooth rocks, and floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting.   Keep in mind that their fluid filled sacs are delicate and can become a problem with sharp edged rocks, driftwood, or plants.  They are scavengers and tend to uproot live plants, especially when planted in fine gravel or a sandy substrate.

Bubble Eyes are a social species that should be housed with at least 4 or 5 of their own kind, but do not overcrowd.   They are a slow moving species that should be kept with other slow moving relatives like the Lionhead Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish, and Celestial Eye Goldfish.   Although none of these varieties will win any races, when kept together they should get plenty to eat.  Because they are one of the more delicate species, they should never be housed in a community tank environment.

Because all goldfish produce a tremendous amount of waste, they need regular water changes and a good filtration system that does not create a strong flow of current in the tank.   Bubble Eyes require a lot of oxygen, so an air stone is recommended along with a tank that provides the maximum amount of surface area (breeder tank) per fish.

Like all species of goldfish, the Bubble Eye Goldfish is not a true tropical fish.  They are a cold water species that does best at temperatures between 65 – 72° F but unlike other goldfish species, they cannot tolerate temperatures under 60° F. They can tolerate salinity levels below 10% and specific gravity less than 1.002.

Bubble Eye Goldfish are egg layers that are moderately easy to breed in an aquarium environment.  They are usually bred in groups as small as five individuals and in the wild, spawn during the spring.

To mimic these conditions in an aquarium, provide healthy fish with a tank planted with Anacharis or other oxygenating plants, solid surfaces (like clean slate) for the eggs to adhere to, and/or spawning mops.

Induce spawning by feeding the fish live brine shrimp, worms, etc. several times a day, slowly lowering the water temperature to around 60° F, and then slowly warming the water approximately 3° F per day until spawning commences. Spawning activity will usually occur when the water temperature reaches between 68° and 74° F.   During this process, the water quality in the breeding tank should be maintained with daily partial water changes of up to 20 %.

When the fish are ready to spawn, the male will push the female against the plants to stimulate her. She will drop tiny eggs that when fertilized by the males will adhere to the plants, slate, or spawning mops by sticky threads. Females can lay as many as 10,000 eggs per spawn over a period of three to four hours.

Separate the parents from the eggs immediately after spawning as they will devour as many eggs as possible. Depending on the water temperature, the fertilized eggs will hatch in 4 to 7 days. Feed the fry specialty fry foods until they are able to consume crushed goldfish flakes or brine shrimp.

Bubble Eye Goldfish are omnivorous and will eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. A good quality flake food with supplemental feedings of live, frozen, or freeze dried brine shrimp, blood worms, Daphnia, or tubifex worms will keep them free of parasites or bacterial infections. Avoid overfeeding but because of their poor vision and bubble sacs under their eyes, allow them plenty of time to eat before removing excess food from the tank.

Bubble Eye Goldfish are relatively inexpensive and readily available online and in tropical fish keeping shops in a variety of sizes.

Bubble Eye Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Moderately Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 65-72° F, KH 2-15, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 5″+
Color Form: Black, Red, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Other slow moving species
Origin: Asia, China, Farm Raised
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: 10-20 yearsAquarist
Experience Level: Intermediate

The Elegant Pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus) is a rare species of found in the Amazon River basin near Santarém, Brazil; specifically in Lake Mapiri and it’s tributaries.

Along with two other new species, Nannostomus britskii and Nannostomus nitidus (which DNA analysis suggests is synonymous with Nannostomus limatus), the Elegant Pencilfish was first described from a collection of preserved specimens found in the Sao Paulo museum by Stanley H. Weitzman in 1978.

Needless to say, the Elegant Pencilfish is extremely rare in the aquarium trade and is usually found in mixed shipments with other species.

Like other Pencilfish species, Nannostomus limatus typically frequents small rivers, sluggish tributaries, slow moving streams, and swampy areas that have an abundance of aquatic vegetation, submerged bogwood, and leaf litter.

Elegant Pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus)

Elegant Pencilfish are a small, elongated species that has one prominent dark horizontal stripe along the body from the mouth, through the eye, to the base of the caudal fin, and another lighter yellow/gold colored line above.

The top portion of the body is covered with relatively large darker brown outlined scales with dark, lined spots.   The undersides are a lighter to reddish color (in males) with a splash of red on the base of the caudal and anal fins.   They possess no adipose fin.   Adult males are always more intensely colored and a bit smaller than females.

The Elegant Pencilfish is a shoaling species that is best kept with at least 8 to 10 of their own kind in a nano-aquarium type setup.   In a community tank environment, the can be housed with like sized loricariid catfishes, peaceful characids, dwarf cichlids, and the smaller callichthyids.

Nannostomus limatus do well in a densely planted aquarium of at least 15 gallon capacity, with a dark sand or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting, some driftwood or bogwood for the fish to hide among, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves or other leaf litter to promote the growth of microbe colonies.

During decomposition, the dried Indian Almond leaves produce tannins and other beneficial chemicals as well as establishing a secondary food source as the leaves decay.   Nannostomus limatus prefer clean, aged, slow moving water in their aquarium making frequent water changes a  necessity.   Power heads and filtration systems with heavy water flows should be avoided.

To date, breeding has never been reported in an aquarium environment.

Elegant Pencilfish are micro predators and in their natural environment feed on small invertebrates, minute worms, larvae of chironomids, etc.   In an aquarium environment they do well on a diet of live, frozen, or freeze dried Daphnia, baby brine shrimp, microworms, tubifex, or bloodworms.

Elegant Pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus) are almost never available in tropical fish keeping shops but may occasionally be acquired online from importers when discovered in mixed shipments.

Elegant Pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, GH <3, pH 4.5-6.8
Max. Size: 1.5″
Color Form: Silver, Black, Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Nano- tank
Origin: Brazil, Lake Mapiri
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: Unknown
Aquarist Experience Level: Experienced

Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania sp.) are a genus of freshwater gastropods endemic to lakes Poso, Matano, Towuti, Lontoa, Mahalona, and Masapi on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Gold Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania gennifera)

Rabbit Snails are known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts by a variety of names including the Giant Sulawesi Snail, Orange Giant Sulawesi Snail, Golden Giant Sulawesi Snail,Mini Golden Rabbit Snail, Golden Rabbit Snail, Elephant Snail, Sulawesi Snail, etc.

All species come from Lake Poso and the Malili Lakes system, Sulawesi, Indonesia and all are extremely rare and difficult to obtain in the United States.

All species of Rabbit snails, like Mystery snails, have both male and female genders and an operculum.

They have long, whorled, unicorn horn like shells that are colored light brown to black with a white crown, and strikingly beautiful body colors that can be bright orange, yellow, cream, black with yellow or white dots, black with yellow tentacles, black with yellow spots, or any combination between.

Many of the Rabbit Snails numerous different color forms are still awaiting formal description.

Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania sp.)

Giant Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania Sp.)

Yellow Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania Sp.)

Gold Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania gennifera)

Their long, ridged, conical shells vary in appearance, and their small eyes set underneath the tentacles on their long, tactile (elephant nose like) snout lends to their overall rabbit face like appearance, which is undoubtedly how their common name was derived.

The Gold Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania gemmifera) found exclusively in Lake Matano, appears to have a bunny like “face” with an elongated head, drooping yellow antennae “bunny ears,” and a long, down turned mouth.   Another variety has a black body with yellow spots, yellow antennae, and yellow lips.   All are peaceful scavengers and one of the largest freshwater snails in the hobby, with some species reaching over 4 inches in length.

The adaptable nature of Sulawesi snails allows them to be housed safely with almost any species of fish, shrimp, snail, and live plants however, because they are from a tropical climate, aquariums with high temperatures are necessary for them to thrive.   Good tank mates include other types of snails like Nerite Snails, Mystery Snails, Golden Rabbit Snails, etc., dwarf shrimp like the Blue Velvet shrimp, Neon Yellow Shrimp, Sakura Red Cherry Shrimp, etc. and any non aggressive fish species.

Because of their large size, Elephant Snails need room to move around and should be housed in at least a 30 gallon semi-densely planted tank, with a sand or fine gravel substrate, some driftwood, rocks, and a few floating plants
to diffuse overhead lighting.   Avoid overcrowding the tank with too many plants.   Water quality and temperature is important with Rabbit Snails and like other snail species, they are extremely sensitive to copper in even minute amounts.

Under ideal water conditions, Giant Sulawesi snails have been known to breed in an aquarium environment, but at an extremely slow rate.  Unlike many other snail species, they will never create an overpopulation problem in your tank.

Their method of reproduction is somewhat unique.  When the male impregnates the female, an embryo is formed in a pouch or pod inside the shell of the female, where it receives nutrients from the female until it is fully developed.  When the embryo, or pod, is fully developed, the female will expel 1 to 3 egg sacs (or pods) into the water, where the casings of the pods dissolve to reveal a miniature version of the adult snail.   Tylomelania Sp. give live birth and produce one round white pod (with one to three baby snails) every six weeks or so which in the snail world, is an extremely slow reproduction rate .

In an aquarium environment, Sulawesi snails make excellent janitors.   They are constantly seeking out leftover food and vacuuming up detritus from the substrate.   They will eat algae, plant matter, and detritus from the bottom as well as algae wafers and invertebrate pellets.

Absent a good growth of algae in the tank, they have been known to occasionally munch away on plants like Java Fern.   These snails also have a penchant for trailing after other aquatic snails in the tank and grazing on the slime trail left behind (similar to terrestrial snails and slugs) by the other snail.

Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania sp.) are occasionally available from online suppliers and from specialty tropical fish keeping shops however, they are almost always on back order.  Purchase size is from 1-1/2″ to 3″ or more in length.

Yellow Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania Sp.)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 82-86 deg F° , <8 dH, kH 2-15, pH 7.5-8.5
Max. Size: .8″ to 4.7″ depending on species
Color Form: Brown, Yellow, Orange, black,
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Community tanks
Origin: Sulawesi, Indonesia
Family: Pachychilidae
Lifespan: 2-4 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced

The Japanese Trapdoor Snail (Bellamya chinensis) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Chinese Mystery Snail, Black Snail, Trapdoor Snail, Japanese Mystery Snail, Black Japanese Trapdoor Snail, Asian Apple Snail, Rice Snail and Oriental Mystery Snail is actually classified as a “pond” snail that can survive in Northern climates and considered a problematic invasive species in several areas of the world.

Japanese Trapdoor Snails are native to East Asia, from the tropics of Indochina to northern China.  It’s native range is from Southeast Asia to Japan and eastern Russia, but is widely distributed in China and the United States.  In the late 1800s, they were sold for food in San Francisco’s Chinese markets and they are now well established in California and several Northeastern states.

The Chinese Mystery Snail scientific name (Bellamya chinensis) is synonymous with Cipangopaludina chinensis, Cipangopaludina chinensis malleatus, Cipangopaludina chinensis malleata, Viviparus malleatus, Viviparus chinensis malleatus, Bellamya chinensis and Bellamya chinensis malleatus.

Japanese Trapdoor Snail (Bellamya chinensis)

The Japanese Trapdoor Snail is a large freshwater snail that has an operculum and gills.   When the body of the snail is fully retracted, the operculum (or trap door) seals the shell up to protect the snail against predators and from drying out.   They have a thin smooth conical globose shell with clear growth lines which is can be an olive green, greenish brown, brown, or reddish brown color.   The shell has 6 or 7 whorls and the inner color can be white to pale blue. Although Bellamya chinensis is usually a brown gray color, their colors and patterns can vary considerably.

Japanese Trapdoor Snails prefer bodies of water that have soft, muddy or silty substrates.   They can be found in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, slow moving streams and rivers, ponds, and rice paddy fields.   They prefer slow moving to stagnant water and can survive a variety of water chemistries.   For optimum growth they need a temperature of 68 to 82° F, a pH of 6.5–8.4, and calcium concentrations of 5–97 ppm. Bellamya chinensis will hibernate when water temperatures drop lower than 50° or higher than 86 °F. and are one of the few species that can survive in Northern climates.

Chinese Mystery Snails are voracious algae eaters and are used to control outdoor ponds, water gardens, and large aquariums with excessive algae growth.   They do minimal damage to plants and will also consume uneaten fish food, vegetable matter, diatoms, and decaying organic and inorganic debris from the bottom.   They are a peaceful species that make a great addition to ponds and in particular aquariums.   They will not eat fish eggs or plants, they will not overrun a tank, and they close up their operculum when the water quality diminishes; acting like a canary in a coal mine.

Japanese Trapdoor Snails are a live bearing species.   The embryos develop inside the eggs which remain in the mother’s body until they are ready to hatch.   All females will generally contain embryos from May to August.   The young are born in shallow water from June through October in eastern North America.   After the young are born, the females migrate into deeper water during the fall for the upcoming winter.

Females can bear over 100 offspring in any given brood and well over 200 in their lifetimes.   Females can live up to 5 years, while males live only 3 to 4 years.

In an aquarium environment, Japanese Trapdoor Snails will usually quickly consume all the algae in the tank and will need supplements of live, frozen or freeze dried fish foods, vegetables, algae wafers, carnivore pellets or bottom feeder tablets.

Bellamya chinensis is available for purchase online at a size of 1/4″ to 1 1/2″ except in states where they are considered an invasive species.

Japanese Trapdoor Snail (Bellamya chinensis)

Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 68-82° F, KH 5-90, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 2″
Color Form: Red, brown, black, tan
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Excellent pond and community tank cleaner
Origin: Asia, Burma, Thailand
Family: Vivipariidae
Lifespan: Males 3-4 years, Females 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Assassin Snails (Clea helena) are a colorful, carnivorous, freshwater species that is found throughout Southeast Asia; primarily Thailand, Malaysia, and (Lake Toba) the Indonesian island Sumatra.

Assassin Snails are tolerant of a wide range of water conditions.  They are efficient opportunistic carnivores that as their name implies, feed on live prey and scavenged detritus.

In their natural habitat they can be found in lakes, pools, ponds, and ditches, but they prefer faster flowing streams with a sandy or muddy substrate where they remain partially hidden under the sediment to ambush their prey.  Assassin Snails are not very active during daylight hours and will spend much of their time buried under the substrate until they sense a snail gliding past their lair.   When they sense a snail they will quickly become active, chase it down and devour it.

Assassin Snails have a conical shell that is attractively colored with dark chocolate brown and yellow bands.   They have an operculum, and depending on the amount of food available, can grow up to 1 1/4″ in length. They are NOT hermaphroditic, but because males and females are identical in size and shape, sexing is next to impossible.

In an aquarium environment, many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts find Assassin Snails extremely effective in reducing nuisance snail populations, and as long as water conditions are right and there is a plentiful food supply, they are relatively easy to keep.   They need good water quality, regular water changes, are susceptible to high Ammonia and Nitrite levels, and like other snails are intolerant of copper in even minute amounts.

Assassin Snail (Clea helena)

Clea helena are definitely an eye catching addition to almost any planted aquarium and pose no threat to any other fish or shrimp housed in a community tank.

They will spend the majority of their time buried in the substrate, but when another snail passes by, they will quickly become animated and emerge to prey on it.

In short, Clea helena is a peaceful community tank resident that ignores fish, fry, shrimp, etc. but is devastating to nuisance snail populations.

If you have a large tank with an explosion of existing snails, consider adding about 5 Assassin Snails for every 15 gallons of tank space to eliminate the problem however, remember that these snails are indiscriminate hunters and will take out good and bad snails in your aquarium.

Assassin Snails have been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.   Although identification of the sexes is currently impossible, placing several snails together will eventually find a male and female locked together.   When this occurs, remove them to another tank where they will remain coupled for several hours.   The female will lay several square shaped egg capsules around 1 mm in height and width on the glass, plastic, or on the base of plants in the tank.   The eggs will hatch out within three weeks and the fry will disappear into the substrate.

Clea helena are fond of eating Malaysian Trumpet Snails, Ramshorn Snails, and Pond Snails. When snail populations in the tank become depleted, they require additional snails but will feed on fish flakes, grindal worms, bloodworms, and other protein rich supplements.   Assassin Snails are scavengers and will also accept dead fish or other meaty debris introduced into the tank, but care should be taken to avoid Ammonia and Nitrite spikes.

Assassin Snails are available in tropical fish keeping shops and online at an approximate purchase size of 1/2″ to 1″ at reasonable prices.   Well fed adults can grow to over 3 inches in length.

Assassin Snail (Clea helena)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 75-80° F, KH 2-15, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 3″
Color Form: Chocolate Brown, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Predatory to other snail species
Origin: Southeast Asia
Family: Buccinidae
Lifespan: 1-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Experienced

The Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Columbian Ramshorn Snail, is a relatively large species in the family Ampullaridae that is native to northern South America and Central America.

In addition to being native to Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela; the Giant Ranshorn Snail has spread to Cuba, Florida, Texas, California, and even Idaho.

Here in Florida, established populations occur in Broward, Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach counties where they were introduced to control Water Hyacinth and Hydrilla.

The Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis) is actually an aquatic gastropod mollusk member of the Apple Snail family; Ampullariidae.   They are NOT closely related to true ramshorn snails which are in the family Planorbidae.

Marisa cornuarietis stay close to the surface of the water and prefer shallow waters with a lot of vegetation.   Although they are known to tolerate relatively high concentrations of salt and are occasionally found in lightly brackish waters, they are unable to reproduce in these conditions.

Giant Ramshorn Snails are a large freshwater species that have gills, lungs, and an operculum.  Their lungs allow them to survive in waters with low levels of dissolved oxygen where many other species would perish.   Their beautiful shells and scavenging abilities make them popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, and they are also used in the wild as a weed and biological control agent.

Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis)

Because of the planispiral coiling, the shells of Giant Ramshorn Snails closely resemble the shells of the Great Ramshorn Snail.   Their shells are flat coiled, often unequally striped, and vary from a dark yellow to brownish yellow, pale to dark red, red brown, to more vivid shades of both colors.

The 3 to 6 dark spiral bands (not present on the spine of the shell) mainly located at the umbilicus, can be a dark brown or even black color.   Yellow and black mutations without a banding pattern are also relatively common.

The visible soft parts of the body can be colored white with a yellowish, gray and black pattern with pigmented spots however, the snail’s upper side is often just beige with the bottom a darker brown color.

They have a breathing tube that is shorter than most Ampullaria, and the edge of their round operculum is normally visible from under the shell.   Their shells are much larger than true Ramshorn Snails and can exceed 2″ in diameter.

Giant Ramshorn Snails prefer slow moving water with large amounts of aquatic vegetation and are found in lakes, ponds, irrigation systems, ditches, and swamps.   They are omnivores that feed on decaying vegetation, animal and vegetal detritus, dead fish, and the roots of floating plants (particularly Water Hyacinths and Hydrilla).   They consume huge amounts of plant matter and unless only one or two specimens are housed in a tank, they are not ideally suited for aquariums where plant growth is being encouraged.

Giant Ramshorn Snail eggs (Marisa cornuarietis)

Giant Ramshorn Snails are not hermaphroditic and unlike most Apple Snails will lay their eggs in disk shaped clutches below the water line on almost any substrate, usually the aquarium glass.

When first deposited, the eggs are about 2 to 3 mm and are visible as small whit dots inside a transparent gelatinous mass. As the snails develop to 4mm, they become more transparent and look like little spots attached to the outside of each egg.

Hatching depends on temperature and usually occurs within two weeks.   The young snails will lose themselves in the gravel and take care of themselves without any additional assistance.

Giant Ramshorn Snails are usually available from tropical fish keeping shops on request or online at reasonable prices when they are 3/4″ to 1 1/4″ in size.

Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 75-81° F, gH 8-18, pH 7.5-7.8
Max. Size: 2″
Color Form: Red, brown, black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Excellent community tank cleaner
Origin: South and Central America, Cuba, USA
Family: Ampullariidae
Lifespan: 2 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Ramshorn Snails (Planorbids) also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Ram’s Horn Snails, Wheel Snails, Ear Snails, Red Ramshorns, and Brown Ramshorn are in a family of air breathing freshwater snails that have planispiral (coiled flat) shells.

Although most aquarium Ramshorn Snail species are in the Planorbidae family, one species, the Giant Ramshorn Snail (Marisa cornuarietis) which is widespread throughout northern South America is actually an Apple Snail in the family Ampullaridae.

Ramshorn Snails are slow roaming snails that live in ponds, rivers, lakes, and slow moving streams

Red Ramshorn Snail (Planorbidae)

Ramshorn Snails have a rather small foot and head, with relatively long tentacles with the eye spots at the base of the tentacles.   All Ramshorn species within the Planorbidae family have sinistral shells.   The shell colors range from translucent through various shades of brown to a dark, nearly black color.

Like all aquatic air breathing snails, they have no operculum. Their shell opening is slanted downward to the right and folds of skin often protrude from the left side of the opening.

Ramshorn Snails are scavengers that are frequently introduced into freshwater aquariums as egg bundles on live plants and although they are considered a nuisance by many aquarists, they provide the useful function of eating algae as well as cleaning up decaying plant and animal matter in the aquarium.   Although they will eat delicate plants, they prefer dead or decaying plants, algae, uneaten fish food, and any unnoticed dead fish in the tank.

Ramshorn Snails can be housed in any size aquarium with any non aggressive fish species such as guppies, neons, danios, white clouds, and cory catfish and unless you use them for food, they should not be housed with loaches, puffer fish, gouramis, or angel fish.

They prefer slow moving water but do not do well in a poorly aerated tank and will climb out of the water if the oxygen levels are too low.   Ramshorn Snails do best in hard water conditions for healthy shell growth and like other aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks cannot tolerate copper in even minute amounts.

Ramshorn Snails are prolific breeders and can quickly overpopulate an aquarium.   A Ramshorn Snail will normally start reproducing within 4 weeks after being born.   They are hermaphrodites, which means they carry both male and female sex cells and change between sexes when mating however, they cannot mate alone and need another snail to exchange cells with to successfully reproduce. They are also able to auto fertilize themselves.

Ramshorn Snails will go up to the surface of the aquarium to lay their egg clusters just under the surface of the water. The egg clusters are protected by a tough jelly like substance and depending on the temperature of the water, will usually hatch out between 12 to 30 days. The young need no special attention and will take care of themselves.

If there is an overabundance of food in the aquarium, Ramshorn Snails will continue to reproduce unchecked, and will quickly overpopulate the tank.   When this occurs, it may be necessary to introduce another snail eating species (Assassin Snail) or fish (Clown Loach) to the tank to reduce the population.

Placing a piece of fish or a wilted carrot in the tank at dusk will attract the snails to the “bait” where they can be easily removed from the tank.

Ramshorn Snails are available from many pet shops under a variety of names when they are 1/2″ to 1″ in size.

Red Ramshorn Snail (Planorbidae)

Minimum Tank Size: 2 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 64-86° F, gH 8-18, pH 7.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1/2″-2″
Color Form: Red, brown, black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Excellent community tank cleaner
Origin: Americas
Family: Planorbidae
Lifespan: 1-2 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Nerite Snails (Neritina natalensis) are a species of aquatic gastropod mollusks that are endemic to Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania; specifically the coastal plains of East Africa.    They are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts for their attractive shell designs and their efficient scavenging of uneaten foods and algae in the aquarium.

In tropical fish keeping circles, Nerite Snails are often referred to as the Tiger Nerite, Zebra Nerite, Olive Nerite, Ruby Nerite, Tracked Nerite Snail, Zebra Snail, Horned Nerite, and Black Racer Nerite.

Several species of Neritina natalensis go by the common name Zebra Snail and are sometimes confused with Nerite snails.   For example, Puperita pupa is a small marine nerite snail found in brackish waters of the Western Atlantic (specifically the West Indian Island of Dominica) that also goes by the common name Zebra snail.

Nerite Snails are found in freshwater pools, ponds, the lower regions of larger rivers, and slow moving streams but they require a brackish or marine environment to reproduce.

Nerite Snails are a peaceful, non-predatory species that because they do not reproduce in fresh water, will not overpopulate your aquarium like many of the other more common snails.   They are extremely docile mollusks that go about their business of cleaning the aquarium without ever bothering their tankmates.

Zebra Nerite Snail (Neritina natalensis

Zebra Nerite Snails are undeniably the most popular of nerites sold in the aquarium trade.   They have beautiful golden shells with black jagged edged stripes running down from the top of the shell and seldom grow to over 1″ in size.

Females are generally larger than males but are otherwise indistinguishable.

Tracked Nerite Snail (Neritina natalensis)

Tracked Nerite Snails, also known as Ruby Nerite Snails, are not as common as the Zebra or Olive Nerite and are often sold generically to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Nerite snails.   Ruby Nerite snails have a reddish orange shell with small black stripes, dashes, or spots reticulating around the shell.   The black markings are said to resemble tire tracks which is undoubtedly why they acquired the name Tracked Nerite snails.   Ruby Nerite snails are generally larger in size than Zebra Nerite snails and can grow to over 1″ in size.

Nerite Snails do best in an established, densely planted aquarium, that has been properly cycled and has settled, stable water parameters.   Live aquarium plants will continuously drop leaves and discard plant matter into the water column, which prevents the aquarium from being too clean and provides an ongoing source of food for the snails.   This is the perfect environment for Nerite snails which seem to be perfectly content in a “dirty” tank.   Placing Nerite snails in a tank devoid of algae or uneaten food will eventually starve them.

Caring for Nerite Snails is pretty straightforward.   They are a hardy species that readily adapt to a range of water conditions but are sensitive to Ammonia and Nitrate spikes.   They seem to prefer relatively hard, moderately moving water with a temperature between 72 and 78 degrees F. and a Ph of around 7.5.

As with all snails, they cannot tolerate copper at any level in their environment.   Before treating community aquarium fish for diseases with medications that may contain copper, either remove all snails and shrimp from the tank or remove the diseased fish to a hospital tank for treatment.

Nerite Snails will leave the confines of an aquarium when they are not “happy” in their environment, and even in a perfectly set up tank, it is not uncommon for them to occasionally venture to the top of the tank and leave the water.   Occasionally they fall off the rim onto the ground where they die from desiccation, however they can last for quite some time out of the water and will usually revive if they are not completely dried out when placed back into the tank.

Nerite Snails have a difficult time turning over, so when adding them to the tank, place them on their foot.

Breeding Nerite Snails has been accomplished, but only with limited success.   When several specimens of the same age are kept in the same tank and fed the same foods, the females will be larger than the males.   All species of Nerite Snails have a marine larval stage, so in order for successful reproduction to occur, they require brackish water.

Feeding Nerite Snails is generally not necessary unless they are placed in a spotless tank.   They are scavengers that are widely noted for their algae eating abilities and will sustain themselves by eating uneaten food, debris, and algae off the glass, rocks, and even off the leaves of underwater plants.

Because the Tracked Nerite Snail is larger and weighs more than other Nerite snails, they may not be able to successfully eat algae off of the smaller leaves in the tank and may occasionally require an algae wafer or shrimp pellets as a supplement to their diet, but generally these snails will keep your tank spotless.

The Zebra Nerite Snail, Tiger Nerite Snail, Olive Nerite Snail, Black Racer Nerite Snail, and Horned Nerite Snail are all available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts online and in most tropical fish shops at various sizes.

Tattoo Nerite Snails (Neritina natalensis)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 65-85° F, KH 5-12, pH 7.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1″
Color Form: Black, Brown, Green, Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Excellent community tank cleaner
Origin: East Africa, Caribbean, Florida, Gulf of Mexico
Family: Neritidae
Lifespan: 1-3 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Festivum (Mesonauta festivus, Cichlasoma festivum) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Flag Cichlids or Barred Cichlids, are found throughout much of the river drainages of northern South America. They have been collected from the Rio Tapajós, Rio Jamari, Rio Madre de Dios, Rio Guaporé, Rio Mamoré, Rio Paraguay and Rio Paraná in Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru.

Festivum are a shy, peaceful species that prefer densely planted, slower moving waters, where they congregate in small schools to feed on worms, crustaceans, other small zoobenthos, algae and other plant matter.

Adult Festivum Cichlid (Mesonauta festivus, Cichlasoma festivum)

Festivum are deep bodied cichlids that have a pointed head which is more pronounced in younger specimens.

The dorsal, ventral, and anal fins are pointed, and in mature specimens often reach to the back of the caudal fins.  As they mature, Festivum develop hunched backs.

All Festivum are easily identified by a dark diagonal bar (or flag) that extends from the upper part of the mouth, across the lower part of the9ir red eye, to the end of the dorsal fin tip.  The body above this band is a dark shade of Brown.  The balance of the body is a Greenish Yellow color that exhibits a metal like sheen.

All sub species posses a large Black spot outlined in gold atop the base of the caudal fin, and some have a similarly outlined spot in the center of the black flag.  The long pectoral fins are colorless and the the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are colored a faint yellow with small interlaced black spots. Except for the fact that the females are slightly smaller than males, their markings and colors are identical.

Several sub species of Festivum have developed distinct color patterns with slight variations in the number and arrangement of their vertical bands.

Mesonauta Insignis has seven faintly visible bars that are prominently exhibited when stressed. The 2nd and 4th bars are joined, and the scales above the diagonal flagbar are reticulated.

Mesonauta mirificus has the third bar divided, with thick horizontal lines above the diagonal flag.

Mesonauta egregius has a third bar that is divided into two.

Festivum are best housed in a densely planted tank of at least 30 gallon capacity with a sandy or very fine gravel substrate, some bogwood or driftwood branches for them to hide among, and some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting.   They require good filtration with a moderate amount of water flow.

Although Festivm are peaceful cichlids, they do become slightly more aggressive during breeding.   To minimize aggression, they should be kept with at least 10 of their own kind, or with other peaceful cichlids such as apistogramma or geophagus.   They can also be housed in a community environment with other peaceful tetras, barbs, small catfish, etc.

All species of Festivum are easy to breed.  Once a pair is identified, they can be separated into a separate breeding tank with some slate or flat stones.   When ready to breed, the pair will prepare an area on a flat stone where the female will deposit in excess of 200 eggs that are immediately fertilized by the male.

Both parents will guard the eggs until the fry hatch out in two to three days.  The minute fry are transferred by the parents to a fanned out area where they are kept until they become free swimming; usually 3 or 4 days after hatching.

It is important that the parents are left alone during this period and the tank kept in a quiet location.   Festivum Cichlid parents can become easily spooked which can cause them to eat their brood.

Feed the fry newly hatched baby brine shrimp or a commercial prepared powdered fry food until they become large enough to take on regular fare.

Festivum Cichlids are omnivores that will eagerly accept prepared omnivore flakes, live, frozen, and freeze dried foods such as bloodworms, tubifex, ocean plankton, and micro cichlid pellets. Several small feedings are suggested daily, in lieu of a single large feeding.

Festivum are usually available in most tropical fish keeping shops and online when they reach 1 1/2″ to 2″ in size. Note that most “Flag Cichlids” sold in tropical fish keeping shops are Mesonauta insignis (above video), not Mesonauta festivus.

Festivum Cichlid (Mesonauta festivus, Cichlasoma festivum)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, dH 5-10, pH 6.5-7.5
Max. Size: 4″
Color Form: Green, Yellow, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Community or Single species tank
Origin: Northern South America
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 7-10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri).

The Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri) is endemic to the Nanay Basin in Loreto Department, Peru (specifically in a small tributary of the Rio Nanay, at the village of Alvarenga, Loreto, Province of Maynas) and a little west in the Río Tigre system.   Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts also know Nannostomus mortenthaleri as the Red Arc Pencilfish, Peruvian Red Pencilfish, Ruby Red Pencilfish, Red Pencilfish, and Nannostomus cf. marginatus red.

The Coral Red Pencilfish is predominately found in the densely vegetated areas of flooded forests, flooded backwater lakes, slow moving tributaries, small rivers, and swampy areas around submerged bogwood and leaf littered bottoms.  They like shallow, almost stagnant areas with negligibly detectable water hardness and a low pH of around 4.0 to 6.0 where other lebiasinids, characids, and other dwarf cichlids reside.   They are usually collected in thickly vegetated areas where fallen branches and lots of leaf litter cover the bottom.

Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri)

Originally described as Nannostomus marginatus, Coral Red Pencilfish are distinguished by the following combination of characteristics.

Adult males have vivid bright red pigmentation between the central and upper dark lateral stripes. The red extends from the tip of the snout, above the iris, through to the caudal fin base.  They have three distinctive dark lateral stripes.

The primary lateral stripe extends ventrically to the rear half of the anal fin at the base, the last ray and rear edge of the pelvic and anal fins are black.  The front part of the dorsal fin in males is white at the base, partially black, and red at the tip.  They have no adip

ose fin.  Adult males develop a white marking at the anterior dorsal fin base at quite a young age, are noticeably less stocky than their female counterparts, and are much more colorful.

Male Nannostomus marginatus can be immediately identified from Nannostomus mortenthaleri by the lack of red pigmentation on the body.

Coral Red Pencilfish are a gregarious, mildly aggressive shoaling species, that due to their small size and relatively timid nature are not ideal candidates for a community tank setting.   At least a dozen or more specimens should be kept together to minimize aggression between males and to bring out the best coloration.   They require a moderate amount of swimming space and when crowded or placed alone into a community tank environment, they become more timid and their colors less vivid.

Coral Red Pencilfish are ideally kept in a densely planted single species tank of at least 15 gallon capacity with a dark medium to fine dark gravel substrate, some driftwood branches, some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves to promote the establishment of microbe colonies.  As the dried Almond leaves decompose, tannins and other beneficial chemicals are released into the water as well as microorganisms that provide a valuable secondary food source for the fry.

Because Coral Red Pencilfish prefer still to very slow moving water conditions, an air powered corner sponge filter is recommended for filtration.   These fish need “aged” stable water to thrive and should never be introduced into an immature aquarium environment.

Although Nannostomus mortenthaleri have been bred in an aquarium environment, it has usually been an unintended accomplishment.   In a mature, densely planted, single species aquarium environment, you may suddenly see small numbers of fry swimming among the vegetation and the leaf litter however, if you want to increase the amount of surviving fry, you might want to try a more controlled approach.

Condition an adult group of Coral Red Pencilfish and place a pair or a small group into an aged aquarium planted with Taxiphyllum or some other fine leaved plant, or just place several fine wool breeding mops in a bare tank with aged water and a small, “aged” air powered sponge filter.   When more than one pair is placed in the breeding tank, separate the plants or wool breeding mops into territories to prevent aggressiveness.

After two or three days eggs the adults should be removed from the breeding tank and fry should become visible within a couple of days.   An alternate method that is often used with wool breeding mops is to check the mops on a daily basis and when the eggs are visible, remove them to a rearing tank to hatch out the fry.

If the fry are in a tank with an aged leaf litter bottom, they will do fine on their own until they are able to ingest microworms, newly hatched brine shrimp, etc. Otherwise, the fry should initially be fed Paramecium or an extremely fine (5 to 50 micron size) powdered dry food.  After 8 to 9 weeks the fry will begin to develop adult patterning.

In their natural habitat, the Coral Red Pencilfish is a micropredator that feeds primarily on tiny invertebrates and other zooplankton.

In an aquarium environment, they will usually accept small or crushed dried foods along with daily offerings of live, frozen or freeze dried Artemia nauplii, grindal worms, Moina, etc.

Although uncommon, the Coral Red Pencilfish is usually available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts through specialty fish keeping shops or online at reasonable prices when they are approximately 3/4″ to 1″ in length.

Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, 18 – 90 ppm, pH 4.0-7.0
Max. Size: 1.25″
Color Form: Red, Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Peru
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 4-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher) is a popular African cichlid that is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon.   It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as kribensis, krib, common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid.

The Kribensis Cichlid can be found in fast moving waters, but it is particularly fond of shallow, still, or very slow moving densely vegetated waters; and although theyare primarily a fresh water species, they are occasionally collected in brackish water.  Kribensis are one of the easiest African cichlids to breed, which is undoubtedly why they are so popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts worldwide.

Kribensis Cichlid Female (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

The Kribensis is a small “dwarf” cichlid which has an elongated body shape that is basically black in color, with a yellow lateral stripe over a dark longitudinal stripe that runs from the mouth to the caudal fin, and a red to pink belly which turns a vivid scarlet red during courtship and breeding.   The dorsal and caudal fins of both sexes will often have one or more gold ringed eye spots or ocelli.

Mature males develop pointed dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, and are normally larger than the females.  Females are always rounder bodied than males, develop a vivid red/purple belly during spawning, and have more rounded pelvic, dorsal, and anal fins.   Albino tank raised specimens are relatively common, and both forms are readily available in the aquarium hobby.   Juvenile specimens are monomorphic until about six months of age.

Although Kribensis Cichlids are highly recommended for community tanks, like all cichlids they can become extremely territorial during breeding.   They are a shy, docile species that should not be housed with larger or more active tank mates.   They are best kept in pairs with small tetras, barbs, danios, rasboras, Corydoras, gouramis, Loricariids, or other West African dwarf cichlids, provided enough space is given for them to form small territories.

Kribensis Cichlids are best kept in a densely planted 55 gallon or larger aquarium with a medium to fine gravel substrate, with plenty of rocks formed into caves, and some African Driftwood or bogwood for them to hide among and breed in.   Because they are a cave spawning species, small clay flower pots are frequently used along with rock structured caves for breeding.

Much aquarium literature on Kribensis Cichlids suggests that they form monogamous pairs, however in their natural environment, Polygynous harems are common.

Kribensis are secretive cave spawners that also are known to lay their eggs in holes excavated underneath rocks or plants.   In an aquarium environment, they readily accept clay flower pots or rock caves as breeding sites.   They lay anywhere from 30 to over 100 adhesive eggs in rows on the ceiling of the cave.   Although both parents care for the eggs until they hatch, usually within 21 to 28 days; the female will take over the care of the fry, while the male typically guards their territory.   The fry can be fed baby brine shrimp and finely ground omnivore flakes until they are able to fend for themselves.

Although Kribensis Cichlids are categorized as omnivores, the primary diet in their natural environment is green algae, small diatoms, small pieces of plants, and blue green algae with only an occasional invert being consumed.

In an aquarium environment, they do well when placed on a diet of vegetable based foods.   Spirulina flakes, a quality vegetable flake food, or African Cichlid micro pellets are a good choice for kribs with an occasional supplement of frozen or freeze dried brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

Kribensis Cichlids are readily available online and from tropical fish shops throughout the country.   They are sold when they attain a size of 1″ as juveniles, up to 4″ as adults.

Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 3-10, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 4″
Color Form: Black, Red, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Peaceful community tanks
Origin: Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus) are native to the Branco, Madeira, Trombetas, and Tapajós river drainage in the central Amazon basin in Brazil, and the Rupununi basin in Guyana.    In recent years, similar specimens with an additional thin dark stripe on the lower part of the body were exported from Columbia to Peru which were also believed to be Nannostomus digrammus.

Like most pencilfish species, the Two Stripe Pencilfish typically frequents small rivers, sluggish tributaries, slow moving streams, and swampy areas that have an abundance of aquatic vegetation, submerged bogwood, and usually lots of leaf litter.

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus)

The Two Stripe Pencilfish is a small, elongated species that has two prominent dark (usually maroon colored) horizontal stripes along the body.   One along the lateral line from the base of the tail through the lower portion of the eye, and the other above along the upper portion of the body.

Nannostomus digrammus is very similar to and often confused with Nannostomus bifasciatus, however, Nannostomus digrammus has an adipose fin which Nannonostomus bifasciatus lacks.

Adult males are always more intensely colored, smaller than females, and have an extended anal fin which is used in courtship.

The Two Stripe Pencilfish is a shoaling species that is best kept with at least 8 to 10 of their own kind in a species tank  or in a community tank with like sized loricariid catfishes, peaceful characids, dwarf cichlids, and the smaller callichthyids.

They do well in a densely planted tank of at least 15 gallon capacity with a dark sand or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting, some driftwood or bogwood for the fish to hide, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves or other leaf litter that promotes the growth of microbe colonies during their decomposition.  The dried Indian Almond leaves produce tannins and other beneficial chemicals, and establish a secondary food source as the leaves slowly decay.

Because Nannostomus digrammus prefer slow moving water in their aquarium, an air powered corner sponge filter is all the filtration that is needed.

As of this date, the Two Stripe Pencilfish has not reportedly been bred in an aquarium environment.

In their natural environment, the Two Stripe Pencilfish is a micro predator that feeds on zooplankton, small worms, and tiny invertebrates.   In an aquarium environment, it will eat dried foods but they should also be provided with daily meals of small live, frozen, or freeze dried Moina, bloodworms, Daphnia, grindal worms, tubifex, brine shrimp, etc.

Although the Two Stripe Pencilfish is uncommon, it is usually available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts through specialty fish keeping shops or online at reasonable prices when they are 3/4″ to 1″ in length.

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, 18 – 178 ppm, pH 5.0-7.0
Max. Size: 1.25″
Color Form: Silver, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Brazil, Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Beckford’s Pencilfish or Brown Pencilfish.

Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)

The Golden Pencilfish has a long, elongated body that is gold with a silvery band along the middle of the flanks, bordered above by a reddish band, and below by a blackish band with a cream to white underbelly.

It possesses a black spot on the lower half of it’s gill covers and has a red caudal fin.   Males have an enlarged, well developed anal fin which is used in courtship and spawning, and like most Nannostomus species, the Golden Pencilfish acquires a vertically barred colour pattern at night.

Adult males are more intensely colored and have a curved posterior anal fin, which is straight in the females. Females are less colorful and noticeably more round bodied than the males.

Golden Pencilfish are widely distributed throughout the rivers of Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and the eastern Amazon drainage in Amapá and Pará states, Brazil. It is also found from the rio Madeira, in the lower and middle Amazon, upstream to the lower rio Negro and rio Orinoco in Venezuela.

The Golden Pencilfish is normally found in swampy areas, small slow moving rivers, and sluggish river tributaries that are densely vegetated with aquatic plants and have an abundance of leaf litter and submerged bogwood and branches.

Across their natural range, the Golden Pencilfish also exists in a number of different color forms which were once believed to be separate distinct species.  Depending on their origin, they can vary wildly in color and pattern.  Those listed below are now considered synonymous with Nannostomus beckfordi.

• Nannostomus beckfordi surinami collected from Berg en Dal, just north of Brokopondo reservoir, in Suriname.
• Nannostomus anomalus collected in the middle Amazon close to Santarém. In these specimens the upper part of the body is brownish, the lower part yellowish, and the dark lateral stripe does not reach the caudal fin. It is edged above and below by narrow silver stripes.
• Nannostomus simplex from Lama Stop off, in Guyana has a dark gray dorsal surface with a dark median line. It has a light band from the snout to the base of the upper rays in the middle of the caudal fin, a black band through it’s snout to the base of it’s lower caudal fin through the two middle rays. Except for a spot between the tips of the ventral fins, the ventral surfaces are plain. Chromatophores of the lateral band are scattered above the pectoral fins and in front of the anal fin.
• Nannostomus aripirangensis from Arapiranga Island, close to Belém, Pará state, in Brazil appears to be the form most commonly found in the aquarium hobby. It’s base body color is a dark brown, with a dark lateral band that extends into the central caudal fin rays. The rest of the caudal fin base is reddish, as are the ventral fins that are tipped white to a light blue color.

The Golden Pencilfish should ideally be housed in a densely planted 15 gallon or larger aquarium with a dark, sandy or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse lighting, a few pieces of driftwood or bogwood, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves or leaf litter on the bottom of the tank.

Dried Indian Almond Leaves establish colonies of beneficial microbes as they decay which provides a secondary food source to the fish. The decomposition also releases tannins and other chemicals into the water that keeps the fish healthy.

Golden Pencilfish are a slow moving, relatively peaceful species that do best with at least 10 or more of their own kind in a biotope setting.  They can be housed in a community tank environment with similarly sized rasboras, anabantoids, tetras, barbs, dwarf cichlids, callichthyid or loricariid catfishes, but they will not compete with larger or boisterous tankmates.

A corner air powered sponge filter is all that is necessary for keeping pencilfish.  They do not do well in strong currents.

Golden Pencilfish are egg scattering free spawners that do not care after their young.   Adults in a mature aquarium often spawn without any outside intervention and in a densely planted tank, some fry will appear and may actually survive.

If you plan on breeding numbers of pencilfish, start by conditioning a large group with live plenty of live foods.  When the fish are conditioned, select single pair, or a group of one or two males and several females.

Place them in a small breeding tank with mature water and plenty of fine leaved plants like Taxiphyllum, spawning mops, or a plastic grass matting that is often used for egg scatterers.  Some breeders line the bottom of a bare tank with marbles that allow the eggs to fall to the bottom but prevent the parents from getting to the egss.

Keep the tank dimly lit, the water slightly acidic to neutral, and the temperature at the high end of their range. Provide a small sponge air filter into the tank for circulation and the spawning should commence.

After spawning occurs, (usually within 2 to 3 days) remove the parents from the breeding tank and introduce Paramecium or green water into the tank. The fry should be free swimming in about 3 days.   When the fry are large enough, feed them finely crushed flake food, microworms, or newly hatched brine shrimp.

The Golden Pencilfish is a micropredator that feeds on zooplankton, minute worms, and tiny invertebrates in their natural habitat. In an aquarium environment, they can be fed a quality dried crushed flake but should be offered daily portions of live, frozen, or freeze dried brine shrimp, daphnia, Moina, tubifex, or grindal worms.

Although wild Nannostomus beckfordi are exported on a regular basis, most specimens available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts are commercially farmed. Golden Pencilfish are usually available online or in tropical fish keeping shops when they are 3/4″ to 1-1/4″ in size.

Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 69-80° F, 18 – 268 ppm, pH 5.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1.50″
Color Form: Gold, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Espei’s Pencilfish, Four-Barred Pencilfish, or Banded Pencilfish and is endemic to the Mazaruni River system in Guyana, from the Peaima to Tiboku waterfalls, including many of its tributaries such as the Kurupung, Eping, and Tabuba.   There are also unconfirmed occurrences from the Casiquiare Canal and Río Ventauri, Venezuela (Río Orinoco drainage).

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei)

Nannostomus espei are easily identified by their 5 dark vertically oriented bars on the sides of each golden colored flank.  Although most Nannostomus  spp. display vertically barred patterns at night, the Barred Espei Pencilfish is the only one that permanently displays the barred pattern.

This pencilfish species possesses an adipose fin that many pencilfish do not.  Like all pencilfish, they have a small terminal mouth that always appears to be open.  Females of the species are always stockier than the males, and the golden stripe on the females is less colorful than on the males.

Barred Espei Pencilfish are found in densely vegetated small rivers, blackwater tributaries, and swampy areas typically where there is a lot of overhanging vegetation that produces substantial leaf litter, submerged logs, and woody branches.  The humic acids and other chemicals released by the decaying organic material typically stains the water a coffee color and creates a pH as low as 4.0 with a negligible mineral content.

Barred Espei Pencilfish are a peaceful, gregarious, slow moving, shoaling species that do not make great candidates for a community tank.  They do best in a biotope setting with at least a dozen or more of their own kind to minimize aggression and should never be kept alone in a community tank.

Although they do well with smaller callichthyids, loricriid catfish, dwarf cichlids, and non aggressive characids, their small size and timid nature often put them in danger.

In an aquarium environment they should be housed in a mature densely planted tank of at least 10 gallon capacity, with a dark sandy or fine gravel substrate,  some driftwood branches, floating plants to provide cover, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves to provide the establishment of valuable microbe colonies.   The microbe colonies created by the decaying dried leaf litter also provide a secondary food source for the fry.  The decaying leaves also release tannins and other chemicals into the water that are medicinal to the fish and act as a buffer.

Because they are found in slow moving water, a corner air powered sponge filter is all the filtration needed for Barred Espei Pencilfish.  They do not like a strong current in their tank.

Barred Espei Pencilfish have been bred in an aquarium environment, usually in a mature, densely planted tank with very soft, acidic water, where the fry started appearing without any human intervention.    If you place a conditioned group of two males with several females together in a densely planted tank of Echinodorus,  Anubias, or Microsorum with aged water, breeding will eventually take place.  This species is highly selective when choosing mates but when a pair does develop, they will begin laying small clumps of eggs underneath the plant leaves.

During courtship, the male will swim above the female and nudge her on the head.   Using his bag like anal fin, the male will attach anywhere from 20 to 40 eggs to the underside of the broad leaved plants.   When the eggs are seen, remove the plants or the adults into a separate tank to prevent them from eating the eggs.  The fry will begin to appear within 24 to 36 hours after the eggs are deposited, and they should be free swimming 5 or  6 days thereafter.

Feed the fry Paramecium or a very fine dry fry food until they are able to eat microworms, newly hatched baby brine shrimp, and daphnia.

In their natural environment, Barred Espei Pencilfish are micro predators that feed on zooplankton and minute invertebrates.   In an aquarium environment, they can be fed a quality dried flake food but require daily offerings of live, frozen, or freeze dried baby brine shrimp, grindal worms, Daphnia, etc.

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei) are not common in the aquarium hobby and are relatively expensive when they do become available online or in specialty tropical fish keeping shops.  When available, they are usually about 3/4″ to 1″ in size.

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-83° F,  18 – 90 ppm, pH 4.0-6.5
Max. Size: 1.25″
Color Form: Gold, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner