
What do killifish fry eat?
If you’re breeding Killies, you’ll also need to know what to feed the Fry. The most suitable foods for newly-hatched killifish fry are; newly-hatched brine shrimp, vinegar eels, microworms, infusoria and grindal worms.
Is a killifish the right fish for You?
Some are omnivores and include algae in their diet. In an aquarium, most killifish require live foods, therefore if you are not able to provide live food, or are hopeful that you might be able to switch them over to flake food – they’re not the right fish for you.
What do killifish need to survive?
The majority of killifish require water temperatures of 72-75 o F, if you have just a single tank you can use a regular aquarium heater, however, more serious killifish keepers who have a room full of tanks may instead heat the whole room. The pH balance is different in each Killifish tank because each and every Killie has a different preference.
How do you breed killifish?
They hide the eggs inside the soil until the water body is back then they hatch. So, if you are going to breed annual killifish, you need to have a portable breeding tank with a sandy layer where they can hide their eggs. After the laying of the eggs, you then drain off the water and also remove the killifish.

What do killifish fry eat?
If you are seeing fry in the tank with the parents, they probably have been feeding on infusoria that is in the tank, so they are getting fed. Infusoria are small single-celled organisms such as amoeba, euglena, and para- mecium. And the term infusoria usually includes more com- plex organisms such as rotifers.
What can I feed my killifish?
Killifish are carnivores. Depending on the size of your fish, frozen foods such as brine shrimp, newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii, daphnia, mysis shrimp, mosquito larvae and bloodworms are all good choices. Killifish have a reputation of refusing dry foods, but many hobbyists have had success with them.
What do you feed clown killifish fry?
Clown Killifish breed every couple of weeks, producing up to 50 fries per two or three pairs of adults! Feed the fry free-floating green algae as a first food as well as infusoria. Within a few days, the fry will take young nematodes, and they should be fed two to three times per day if possible.
Can killifish eat dry food?
We add in dry food most days to round out their diets - we use crushed flakes, hikari micropellets and Northfin 0.5mm pellets depending on the size of the fish. Most of the other killifish breeders we know stick with flakes for the dry food.
How many babies do killifish have?
They reproduce quickly: females produce between 40-60 eggs at once with about 20% of them surviving. They also do not need a lot of space and are adaptable to extreme temperatures, which is why they have been able to survive in polluted waters for so long.
How fast do killifish grow?
This week, researchers crowned a new record holder for quick growth: Susan Milius at Science News reports that the turquoise killifish, Nothobranchius furzeri, found in Mozambique, can reach maturity in just 14 days, the fastest of any known vertebrate animal.
Do clown killifish eat their fry?
Parents rarely eat their fry but larger fry will eat their younger siblings! Beware: snails and shrimp will eat the Clown Killi's eggs. Behavior: Clown killifish are small peaceful fish so they need to be kept with small fish such as Celestial Danios, small tetras or Furcata Rainbows in a community tank.
What do baby clown killifish eat?
What Do Clown Killifish Eat? Because of their tiny mouths and preference for swimming near the water surface, give them a wide variety of tiny, floating foods, such as Easy Fry Food, crushed flakes, and freeze-dried daphnia.
Can you put killifish with shrimp?
Yes, killifish can live with shrimp. As long as you keep the right kind of shrimp with the appropriate kind of killifish, you can successfully keep them together. However, killifish might eat the shrimp's fry.
Do killifish need an air pump?
No, killifish do not need an air pump. Killifish are a hardy species that do not require air pumps. They do, however, need a tight lid over their tanks (they are jumpers), a heater, floating plants, plenty of swimming space, a water filter, and a well-balanced diet.
Can killifish crossbreed?
Yes, you can mix different types of killifish. Killifish from the same genus (not species) can be kept together in the same tank. Male killifish are more aggressive than female killifish and can become aggressive with each other.
Do killifish eggs need to dry?
In the aquarium, it needs layering of peat or mud substrate, a temperature of about 70 F, and soft water. The eggs need incubating in just-moist peat for 16 weeks.
How do you keep killifish alive?
To keep them healthy and happy, you will need to maintain their tank. Ensure their water is clean, deionized, and at an appropriate temperature and salinity. Change the water and clean the tank regularly. Give new jellyfish time to acclimate to their tank by slowly mixing the water in their bag with water in the tank..
How many killifish should be kept together?
Keeping Killies Together Killifish thrive when they are kept together. You should keep at least 3 of them together (1 male and 2 females). In larger tanks (30+ gallon tanks) you can keep up to 12 individuals and they will school together.
Do killifish need to be in pairs?
Killifish are mainly found in shallow subtropical and tropical waters. They inhabit both still and moving waters, and are mostly freshwater fish....Killifish Facts & Overview.CategoryRatingDiet:CarnivoreFamily:CyprinodontiformesMinimum Tank Size:20 gallons per pair7 more rows•Nov 10, 2017
Can I keep killifish with Betta?
No, killifish cannot live with bettas. Killifish eggs and fry make a good snack for bettas, and the two are likely to get aggressive when kept in the same tank. Bettas are highly territorial pets that can become stressed by the presence of your killifish.
Killifish Location
Killifish species are considered abundant; you will find them almost everywhere on the planet where there are fresh or slightly salty water sources. The only parts of the globe you are not going to see Antarctica (for obvious reasons), Australia, and the countries of Scandinavia like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Origin of Killifish
If you are wondering how the name killifish came about or what it even means, the story behind the name is an interesting one. The belief is that it is a derivation from an old Dutch name that was given by European immigrants in the United States in the 17th century to describe small fishes in little water streams.
Killifish Physical Features
Because of the staggering number of species of killifish, the specific physical features will depend on the type of species considered. However, one feature that is common to virtually all killifish is that they are tiny in size as they are just a few inches in length.
Behavior of Killifish
The good thing with killifish is that when it comes to natural features, a vast majority of their species are peaceful and non-aggressive, thus making handling a lot easier and pleasurable for you.
Feeding of Killifish
Feeding the killifish is probably one of the most exciting activities about them. A typical meal for a killifish contains crustaceans like prawns, crayfish, krill, and woodlice. Other favorite diet ingredients include insects, worms, and insect larvae. Some killies also consume seaweed and algae.
Types of Food
The widespread belief is that the most nutritious meals for grown killies are:
Breeding of Killifish
There is one primary reason why killifish are so well-loved by aquarists and fish breeders. Of all the varieties for breeding, killifish consistently rank among the first, and this is because breeding killifish is as stress-free as it can get.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
This post applies to adult killifish - a post on feeding killifiish fry will follow at a later date. Adult fishes have mouths big enough to eat all the foods below, babies need a slightly different approach.
Feeding Killifish
This post applies to adult killifish - a post on feeding killifiish fry will follow at a later date. Adult fishes have mouths big enough to eat all the foods below, babies need a slightly different approach.
Trader Feedback
I am making a second attempt at growing out a group of clown killifish for a try at a future large colony. First attempt ended with one female making it out of quarantine. Any suggestions for foods to try? I was considering incorporating golden pearls with the standard BBS and coop fry food.
Trader Feedback
I haven't had much experience with clown killifish fry, but depending on how big they are, you might try Hikari First Bites, Easy Fry food, baby brine shrimp, frozen daphnia and cyclops, and the powder form of Repashy gel food.
Trader Feedback
When I had my clown killies (which I LOVED), I kept lots of live plants in the tank along with driftwood and a sponge filter to encourage lots of micro-foods to grow, and I made sure that they got prepared food every day. This was before I started hatching out brine shrimp so I just fed them quality crushed up flake food.
Appearance
Killifish vary widely in appearance. One thing most of them do have in common though is the bright colors and vivid patterns.
Aquarium Requirements
This section will provide a general overview of killifish tank conditions. It’s important to read this advice alongside specific species advice.
Diet
Killifish are mostly carnivores, and in their natural environment, they eat crustaceans, insect larvae, and worms.
Breeding
Killifish are actually very easy to breed, and this is perhaps the top reason that they are so popular with Aquarists and have such a huge fan base.
Should You Keep Killifish
Are you an experienced aquarist looking to keep one of the most well-loved fish in the hobby?
Frequently Asked Questions About Killifish
Robert Woods is the creator of FishKeeping World, a third-generation fish keeper, and a graduate in animal welfare and behavior. He is also a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America, and the Nature Conservancy .
Killifish: A Brief Introduction
Just like performing a background detail on your personal assistant, this introduction will give you the idea of what a Killifish actually is.
Social Behavior and Tankmates of Killifish
Killifish are peaceful temperamental species which makes them a good community fish. You might be worried as the name of the fish is associated with the word kill, however, killing other fish is not something you need to be concerned in an aquarium for this species.
Fish Keeping Difficulty
Killifish is known for it’s hardy, adaptive as well as easy-going nature. Belonging to more than 1250 species, each species is unique and has its unique requirements. Although the differences, these fish are well known to have acclimated to the local water conditions as of being captively bred.
Killifish Care Tips: All you need to know
On average, a small Killifish can size up to 4 inches and are kept in a number of 3. This is the reason why most aquarists prefer keeping Killifish in nanto tanks (5-10 gallons). However, there are species like Blue Gularis (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) that may grow up 5-6 inches. And bigger species require at least a 20-gallon tank.
Killifish Diseases
In the case of adult Killifish, the infections are mostly bacterial in nature and appear as cloudy patches. This is mainly because of getting struck by another fish. In the case of parasitic infections, there can be various causes. Usually, it can be caused due to poor water conditions which can be controlled as well as prevented.
Breeding Killifish
Killifish are very easy to breed in spite of their small size. This is the reason why they are popular among aquarists.
All About Killifish: A Summary
Summing up on this colorful species, the following table describes Killifish in short.

Killifish Location
Origin of Killifish
Killifish Physical Features
- Because of the staggering number of species of killifish, the specific physical features will depend on the type of species considered. However, one feature that is common to virtually all killifish is that they are tiny in size as they are just a few inches in length. In terms of size, the most prominent killifish species are typically less than six inches. So, what that means is that if you ar…
Behavior of Killifish
- The good thing with killifish is that when it comes to natural features, a vast majority of their species are peaceful and non-aggressive, thus making handling a lot easier and pleasurable for you. They tend not to cause trouble when placed in community tanks, but you should put it at the back of your mind that the males can be quite violent among themselves. Because the males ca…
Feeding of Killifish
- Feeding the killifish is probably one of the most exciting activities about them. A typical meal for a killifish contains crustaceans like prawns, crayfish, krill, and woodlice. Other favorite diet ingredients include insects, worms, and insect larvae. Some killies also consume seaweed and algae. In your aquarium, it is best to give killies live me...
Types of Food
- The widespread belief is that the most nutritious meals for grown killies are: • Daphnia:This is very common and well-accepted and is in many aquariums. You can decide to grown daphnia yourself or get them from natural sources like pools. If you are going for the latter option, then you should be very careful to make sure you are getting only the daphnia, and nothing else. If you choose to …
Breeding of Killifish
- There is one primary reason why killifish are so well-loved by aquarists and fish breeders. Of all the varieties for breeding, killifish consistently rank among the first, and this is because breeding killifish is as stress-free as it can get. No one surely wants to run into regular problems while breeding fish, and that is why killifish have emerged as highly-preferred alternatives. For those w…
Care For Killifish
- Caring for killifish starts from getting the tank requirements entirely right. Even though they are not difficult to breed, there are feeding and tank requirements. These include: • A tank with a capacity of 20 gallons can contain two killifish. In a case where you have more killifish to train, then you have to increase the size of the tank. • The tank should not be deep; it should be shallo…
Diseases
- Aquarium fish like killies are very vulnerable to several diseases. This is often because of the unnatural and constrained environments that they are kept. Killifish can suffer from a number of the following diseases: Fin Rot Disease:This is often a result of infection by bacteria and the disease chips off the outer margins of the fins. The best way to handle it is to ensure that the wa…
Aquarium Mates
- As hinted earlier, killies are good community fish, and are ideal aquarium mates are with other species like Rummy Nose Tetras and Neon Tetras.