New Killifish!!!

[Punkymom]

I just got back from PetSmart and came home with 2 Rainbow Panchax. I did a little research and it turns out they're killifish. That's what I was thinking when I bought them and so I'm glad I did. If anyone has any information on these guys let me know, [acronym:ae40471d7d="As soon as possible"]ASAP[/acronym:ae40471d7d]. They were kind of an impulse buy, but I had seen them the last time I was in PetSmart and wanted them then but didn't get them. I'll post a pic when I get my digital back up and running. Probably tomorrow. I'm all excited!!! I'm also wondering if they'll do ok with the Betta I have in the 10 gallon. I'm hoping so as their fins aren't anything like another male Betta, but I'm ready with a net to get Mr. Betta out and put him in another tank I've got up and running just in case things get ugly.

[Allivymar]

Oh how cool! Its amazing what surprises show up at the big pet stores eh? Looking forward to the pics

[Fruitbat]

Ah....don't you just love common names. The Rainbow Panchax is PROBABLY Aplocheilus dayi, also known as Day's Panchax or Singhalese Panchax. It is an Asian killifish that originates from Sri Lanka. They prefer neutral to slightly acid water and standard tropical fish temperatures. They get to about 8.5cm and get along reasonably well with fish that it cannot swallow.

[Punkymom]

http://www.petfish.net/lin.htm

I think this is what I bought today. The idiots tried to commit suicide while I was acclimating them, however and I almost lost them!!! They were in a Tupper Ware bowl in the sink with the plug closed (thank God I thought to close the plug). I came out to make my post and went back in to check on them and there's no fish in the bowl. They are fine, however and don't appear to have suffered anything more than a little shock from trying to escape. Now I have a reason to keep my 10 [acronym:ea9552c3d6="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ea9552c3d6] up and going...I was going to tear it down eventually but I think now I'll keep it. I would like to get a 20 [acronym:ea9552c3d6="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ea9552c3d6], but my mom won't let me so I'll be moving the Betta back into his 2.5 [acronym:ea9552c3d6="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ea9552c3d6] tank eventually.

[Fruitbat]

Yep....Aplocheilus lineatus. Native to Malabar and Madras, India and Sri Lanka. Likes water conditions similar to A. dayi. It is best not to keep these little gems in with much smaller fish and they can be a little aggressive to other fish on occasion. They reach up to 10cm (almost 4 inches). I've seen quite a few of those in my local PetSmart lately. Nice to see that somebody is actually getting killifish in on occasion.

Oh...by the way...almost all killifish are notorious jumpers and the Aplocheilus species are among the worst of the lot, as you've already found out from personal experience.

[Punkymom]

Yes. Thank God the tank they're in is almost completely covered except for where the filter goes in the corner. I might get a couple more and make a tank just for them or something like that. They are very pretty under the lights.

[William]

Jumpers?

Nice excuse for a tight glass lid, cause you can trim it to be snug against your filter so theres no way of escape.

[PlatyLady]

Oooh pretty! Maybe that's what I should do for my 10 [acronym:f8b682fbf1="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:f8b682fbf1]!

[AJ277]

We have two of those that were purchased at petco- they had a sale on them that caught my eye..

they have been very hardy and cool little fish
in a community tank they have been no problem.
seem to have voracious appetites though [acronym:0f75f459a2="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:0f75f459a2] so they may get large fairky quickly?
They always hang out right at the surface of our 150, and will almost eat out of your hand before you can let go of the food -
have become much more colorful than when we first got them, an implusle buy because of "sale" that im happy about for sure

[Fruitbat]

Killifish are great 'little' fish and certainly have some of the most colorful species in fresh water. Unfortunately most of the larger fish stores rarely get them in primarily because most people aren't familiar with them so they aren't big sellers. They are found in North and South America, Africa, Eurasia and Australia.

The thing you have to be careful about when going 'killi' shopping is that you don't buy the 'annual' killifish. These magnificently colored fish have a very short lifespan...usually a year or less. There are many people who specialize in breeding the 'annuals'...so they keep a constant supply of them to replace the adults as they pass to that great fishy paradise in the sky (or whereever it is).

The Aplocheilus species like A. lineatus and A. dayi occasionally show up at the [acronym:332360c8ab="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:332360c8ab] as Punkymom has found. They are NOT 'annuals' so they're a bit more popular with folks who are not 'killi' specialists. Give them a nicely planted tank with neutral to slightly acid water and they'll color up beautifully. A few cautions are in order, however. Some of the Aplocheilus can be fin-nippers (though not in the same class with Tiger Barbs) and they will eat any fish small enough to be swallowed. They are primarily surface feeders so sinking food will often be ignored. They do benefit greatly from live food like Daphnia or brine shrimp (and maybe the occasional guppy fry). You might also try wingless fruit flies.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread (and as Punkymom discovered)...many of the killifish are consummate jumpers and their tanks need to be covered as completely as possible. I offer the following excerpt from Exotic Aquarium Fishes by Dr. William T. Innes. This regards the Blue Gularis killifish, Aphyosemion (Fundulopanchax) sjoestedti but can be applied to almost all of the 'killis':

As a postscript regarding the jumpiness of this fish, it is recalled that many years ago a fellow enthusiast and the author imported a score of them. Prior to dividing them they were placed over night in a larged covered trough. The lid was a half inch short of complete coverage. By morning every fish had leaped out and dried out!