Killi Fish

Killifish, or egg laying tooth carps as they are sometimes described, are a very colorful group of usually small, fishes. Most come from Africa, but some are found in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Unfortunately, they do not make very good community fish and are certainly not the best choice for beginners. Killifish usually come from very soft-water regions,which also tend to be acidic in composition, although a few are founding more alkaline and harder water areas. The fish often live in shaded areas of rainforest, trapped in small pools, where water temperatures may fall as low as 2.19C(70°F) or lower. If you wish to keep Killifish inane aquarium, you must provide the appropriate water conditions,otherwise they are unlikely to survive for very long. This being so and because most other species (apart from some tetras and a few others) do not really thrive in such conditions, it is easy to see why Killifish are usually kept only with their own kind.

Another problem is that they are naturally short lived. In fact, some species may live for less than a year in the wild, so if these fish are kept in poor conditions, their life span can be shortened dramatically, all of which could be disheartening for someone who is keeping aquarium fishes for the first time.

In the right conditions, these fish can be easy to breed. In their natural habitat, many Killifish live in small pools, puddles and streams that evaporate in the dry season. To avoid total extinction, the fish have evolved a very clever strategy. Throughout the breeding season, Somerville spread their eggs on plant matter, while others bury their egg sin peat. When the water evaporates, the eggs - with relatively hard shells and protected in the slightly damp material - become dormant and enter a state of suspended animation. After a few months, the rains return and once the eggs come into contact with water, they become active again and hatch. Only a few hatch at first, just in case the waterish just a shower and the pools do not refill, but gradually most of the eggs hatch out. This is why some Killifish only live for a year; since they may be trapped in pools that dry out every year, they only require life span of one year.

It is usually possible to distinguish the sex of Killifish, as males are more colorful and have more splendid fins than the females. As in many species of fishes, males are often rather aggressive towards other males and it is not a good idea to keep more than one male of any given species in the same aquarium. Indeed, during the breeding season, male scan be aggressive towards females, so keep two females to one male.iven their short life span and specialized water requirements, killifish not often seen in aquarium shops, nor are they commonly kept.

Play fair's paunch(Pachysandra playa)only grows to about 7.5cm(3in), with females being slightly smaller. The female's fins are usually clear, apart from the dorsal fin, which has a black blotch at the base. Males can be very aggressive during breeding time, so avoid keeping more than one male in the aquarium. Feed these with small live foods if possible, otherwise offer them frozen or freeze-dried foods. The water should he kept at about 22°C(72°F), but this is one killifish that does not demand soft water.