Are killies hard to keep?

[verucaproduce]

I have been reading mulitple sites and from the sounds of it, killies are harder to keep than most fish. Is this true or are these people just being killi-snobs? 8O

I see that a few of you have posts up now that you are new to killi-keeping or thinking about it. I have been looking for something to stock my 29 gallon with. Do you think killifish would be suitable? Has anybody tried to do the 'egg' thing? Have you been successful?

Any other info that would be helpful to someone considering them? Tankmates...etc...

Thanks!

 

[Meredith]

I have never had any, but I LOVE them. They are so cute! My lfs has some really cool ones.

 

[JohnPaul]

I've got many of the same questions as you, so I will be following the answers here with much interest. If you haven't already found them (I suspect you have from what you wrote), it is worth knowing that on http://www.petfish.net they have a whole forum dedicated just to killifish.

Also, the AKA (American Killifish Association) has a great beginning's guide on their website (http://www.aka.org), which (among other things) discusses some of the killifish species that are the most hardy and/or most suited to a community aquarium. I also found the articles Killifish for Dummies and An Introduction to Killifishes very informative.

All this has made me really want to get into them...but until my tank chemistry is completely under control, I can't add anymore fish.

 

[Toirtis]

Some are, most are not....start with some Fundulopanchax gardneri or Amphysemion australe...very easy to keep well in a 5 gallon planted tank.

 

[medge00]

i've had some... i don't think they're hard to keep, but they are jumpers for sure. Killi's, an open top aquarium and cats are a bad combo

 

[verucaproduce]

Thanks John Paul. I will have to read up some more tomorrow.

I am wondering if more than one type be kept in a large tank, and whether they will overrun the tank like guppies do.

 

[Toirtis]

I am wondering if more than one type be kept in a large tank, and whether they will overrun the tank like guppies do.

No and no....stick to small tanks (3-5 gallons) and one type in each.

 

[verucaproduce]

Well I guess that answered my question. Thanks Toirtis!
I will start my search for stocking my 29 again.

 

[abomb]

i kept a golden wonder for over a year he was VERY hardy.....ate all my neons but.............then not to long ago he jumped out my tank unfortunately i found him on the floor hrs to late......Try yourself at the golden wonder he can be kept in a smaller tank hes nice in color.......

 

[JohnPaul]

Just curious, I have heard several people say in the past that you should not put more than one species of killies together in the same tank?

Why not?

I know if they are closely related (i.e. same genus) it is a no-no because they could crossbreed and produce a hybrid, which is a bad thing. But since many killifish are small, don't need to be in schools, and can take similar water parameters, why couldn't you have pairs of 3 or 4 different species in a larger community tank?

 

[Toirtis]

Just curious, I have heard several people say in the past that you should not put more than one species of killies together in the same tank?

Why not?

Mostly because most will rip the tar out of each other...killies are very territorial and often murderously intolerant of other types.

 

[verucaproduce]

As much research as I did on the web, I didn't find anything that said this...

Mostly because most will rip the tar out of each other...killies are very territorial and often murderously intolerant of other types.

I am so glad that I found out now rather than later.
Thanks a bunch!

 

[black udder]

GW Killie

I've had a golden wonder killi for about 6 months or so now. Seems to be doing well, but he jumped into the "fry protection chamber" twice and ate 2 out of 4 of my baby mollies. I also suspect he ate a male guppy - but not sure since no trace of the guppy was ever found.

Other than that, he does quite well with the rest of the inhabitants. Their mouths open up quite far when they need to eat.

They also spend probably 85% of their time at the surface, too (at least mine does). He has grown a bit and his color is quite nice.

Took a pic - he actually spent some time posing until I got a good shot.

[/img]

 

[JohnPaul]

Beautiful fish. Makes me want to get into killies all the more!

 

[black udder]

that guy went and ate a whole shrimp pellet tonight. I could see it going down. can't believe it. He grabs them and swims around from all the other fish so they can't get it and swallows/spits it out until it's soft/small enough to swallow.

Don't be fooled by the apparent size of them - those mouths open WIDE 8O

 

[webmoose]

Another question for Toirtis:

You mentioned that a great way to pick up killifish is thru aquabid and pick up a batch of 50 eggs.. What sort of set up do you keep the eggs while they hatch.. And do you stand by with a bunch of small tanks? What is the hatch rate etc...

Mooooose

 

[Guest]

i don't know anything about killifish, i got one by accident at the LFS, got home and he was in the bag with my Bala! I didn't even know what it was, he's also missing one eye. It's a common yellow killifish, he has been doing well, but is it normal for them to stay at the top of the tank all the time? and they have a funny upwardturned mouth.

 

[webmoose]

I think the ones that have the funny upturned mouth like the top portion of the tank.

Mooose

 

[megladonsharky]

Stupid ? what is a killie

 

[Guest]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/AshleyWLTRS/weirdfish.jpg[img]


Not a very good pic, but that's the killifish i accidently brought home. Can you guys tell me what kind it is? sorry, it was taken with my camera phone