Which killifish?

[TheresaM]

I got my first killifish today (clowns); I'm looking to keep and possibly breed another type as well. Whatever I get will be housed with red rili shrimp. I'm not terribly concerned about the fish eating shrimplets, just don't want something that will eat adult shrimp.

I was given the option of a pair of the following...just wondering which you would choose and why:

Aphyosemion australe
Aphyosemion splendopleure
Fundulopanchax gardneri

Thanks for your help

 

[Gillie]

All of the species you listed will devour shrimp, I learned this when I dropped a pair in a shrimp tank without thinking first.

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[Gillie]

If you can find them killies of the genus Diapteron stay about the size of clown killies, but they can be quite tricky to breed and raise fry.

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[Pseudomugil]

My Gardnerie killies have not touched any of my shrimp, I have 6.

 

[TheresaM]

My Gardnerie killies have not touched any of my shrimp, I have 6.

That's what I decided to go with. What is their personality like?

Since I have rili in 2 tanks I'll just leave a few in this tank and see how it goes.

 

[azmodan]

I have always found them to be on the aggressive side. If you're keeping them with other fish I'd recommend a tank around 30 gallons. I also don't think the rilis would fare well at all.

 

[Pseudomugil]

Mine have been completely nice and comunity fish. People always say that certain things are not possible with certain fish. Let me give some examples on how that is not true.

1. My killifish have never been aggressive or eaten shrimp.
2. I'm currently keeping cichlids with neon tetras.
3. My cichlids do not eat live plants.
4. I have south american cichlids mixed with african cichlids.
5. I had dwarf puffers with bettas and other fish for a long time.
6. I kept 2 100% male bettas together and they never fought.

 

[TheresaM]

Mine have been completely nice and comunity fish. People always say that certain things are not possible with certain fish. Let me give some examples on how that is not true.

1. My killifish have never been aggressive or eaten shrimp.
2. I'm currently keeping cichlids with neon tetras.
3. My cichlids do not eat live plants.
4. I have south american cichlids mixed with african cichlids.
5. I had dwarf puffers with bettas and other fish for a long time.
6. I kept 2 100% male bettas together and they never fought.

I agree, everything isn't always black and white.

Would you mind taking a look at this post and let me know if you have any ideas?

 

[azmodan]

Mine have been completely nice and comunity fish. People always say that certain things are not possible with certain fish. Let me give some examples on how that is not true.

1. My killifish have never been aggressive or eaten shrimp.
2. I'm currently keeping cichlids with neon tetras.
3. My cichlids do not eat live plants.
4. I have south american cichlids mixed with african cichlids.
5. I had dwarf puffers with bettas and other fish for a long time.
6. I kept 2 100% male bettas together and they never fought.

It's not that certain things aren't possible, it's just that in general fish tend to behave a certain way or prefer certain conditions. There are always exceptions to rules and each fish will have a different personality, but on a general advice forum for many people new to the hobby when certain exceptions to the rule are provided without context then it can be misleading and potentially detrimental.

 

[TheresaM]

It's not that certain things aren't possible, it's just that in general fish tend to behave a certain way or prefer certain conditions. There are always exceptions to rules and each fish will have a different personality, but on a general advice forum for many people new to the hobby when certain exceptions to the rule are provided without context then it can be misleading and potentially detrimental.

Absolutely true!

 

[NigelK8485]

Mine have been completely nice and comunity fish. People always say that certain things are not possible with certain fish. Let me give some examples on how that is not true.



1. My killifish have never been aggressive or eaten shrimp.

2. I'm currently keeping cichlids with neon tetras.

3. My cichlids do not eat live plants.

4. I have south american cichlids mixed with african cichlids.

5. I had dwarf puffers with bettas and other fish for a long time.

6. I kept 2 100% male bettas together and they never fought.

If you're saying things aren't always the same or "black and white" then why does your experience matter? If we follow that logic it'll be different for everyone, so while your dwarf puffer lived happily with other fish, someone else's might not. If you take a vote of how many people put other fish with a dwarf puffer and ended up with tail fins missing and cowering fish, the percentage would be higher than those that didn't run into that issue. Nobody is saying "You absolutely can't do it!" but they are saying "As a general rule and what most people have experienced...it doesn't work out."


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[TheresaM]

I think as people get more experience in a hobby they're more likely to experiment.

Things change as well...back when I got my first tank folks only did fish-in cycling; some of the fish I keep now hadn't been discovered, CPDs for example. Paradise fish could be kept in a community as a centerpiece, now that would be advised as a big no no.

Yes, I have aged myself with this post

 

[Pseudomugil]

If you're saying things aren't always the same or "black and white" then why does your experience matter? If we follow that logic it'll be different for everyone, so while your dwarf puffer lived happily with other fish, someone else's might not. If you take a vote of how many people put other fish with a dwarf puffer and ended up with tail fins missing and cowering fish, the percentage would be higher than those that didn't run into that issue. Nobody is saying "You absolutely can't do it!" but they are saying "As a general rule and what most people have experienced...it doesn't work out."


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I know everyone might get a different outcome if they tried any of these things, but what I'm saying is that it is possible. Everyone always says for example that 2 male bettas will attack each other until the other is dead. They most likely will fight, but there obviously isn't a 100% chance of that happening. I just feel like false information is given out constantly. The aquarium keeping hobby is all about trial and error but when people say things like how bettas will 'always' attack each other, no one ever 'trials'.

I would not recommend to anyone trying most of these but at least I tried them. And if there was a problem, I would fix it.

 

[TheresaM]

Been doing lots more reading. I was offered a pair and it's down to gardneri or australe. Does one do better than the other as a pair? And is either easier to breed?