Killifish as a group comprise over 700 species from most regions of the world. Some are easy to keep in the aquarium, others are difficult. Most are brightly coloured, others, have fascinating behaviour. This site contains the basics on how to keep killies, fish photographs and breeders tips and my own killiblog. This site currently contains 435 pictures of 188 different species. Check out the most recently added killifish images.
Killifish photos
Aphanius apodus Ain M'Lila. The female is in the foreground, she doesn't have the stripes of the male (behind)
killifish for sale
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Indianapolis, Indiana, 462**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$12
* For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout *
This small fish is very peaceful and ideal for both beginners and experts alike, plus it is an excellent addition to the planted aquarium!
The Norman??s Lampeye Killifish (Poropanchax normani) is a peaceful fish whose small size makes it absolutely perfect for the nano or planted ...
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Indianapolis, Indiana, 462**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$66
* For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout *
The Red Cap Medaka Ricefish is an extremely rare and lovely variant of its species!
The Red Cap Medaka Ricefish (Oryzias latipes ??Red Cap??), also known as the Japanese Ricefish or Japanese Killifish, is an extraordinarily adaptable fish species. This schooling fish can be the ...
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Ardenvoir, Washington, 988**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$13
Grindal worms are small cousins to earthworms, and appeal to many species of fish, and fish fry, and are very easy to raise! You will receive a 2 oz portion cup of soil less media filled with live grindal worms, as well as detailed instructions to get your colony going and reproducing quickly. Also check out our other live fish food items, as well as heirloom seeds for the gardener in you!...
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Killifish care
Generalisations on keeping killies are somewhat few and far between, as these fish inhabit such a wide range of environmental niches worldwide, and have therefore adapted to very wide range of conditions. Many people have an idea that these fish are difficult to keep, and whilst there are some easy killifish species, there are many that can test the skills of the most experienced fishkeeper. Actually most killifish are quite easy to keep, especially in a species tank (i.e. not a community tank), and the 'difficulties' are more related to breeding them.
However the following generalisations are largely true
- Killifish don't live very long
- Killifish only eat live food (or frozen live foods)
- Killifish don't thrive when housed with other species
So, to succeed at keeping killifish, and to answer the generalisations above, you'll need to: 1) continually breed your fish, 2) continually breed (or collect/buy) livefoods, 3) keep one (or more) tank / species. All of this is time consuming and takes up space. Successful killifish care is not hard, but requires a significant commitment in time. However, unlike many hobbies, there is very little expense required beyond buying starter cultures of livefoods and the eggs/fish themselves.
This website details many of my experiences in killies: hatching eggs, breeding methods, culturing livefoods (grindal worms, whiteworms, fruit flies etc, see foods and feeding)
Types of killifish
The majority of killifish maintained in captivity hail from Southern and Central America, Africa and Asia with limited numbers from Southern Europe, the Middle East and North America. By far the most popular, largely due to their intense colouration, are the annual fish of East Africa and South America, and the non annual fish of West Africa and Central America.
Annual Killifish
Annual killifish are those that live (usually) in temporary waters: pools that dry up on a regular basis. As such, these fish have to cram their life cycle into as a short a period as possible, hatching, growing and reproducing in a few months only. The best examples are the Nothobranchius species of south and east Africa, and the (formerly) Cynolebias species of south America. The eggs of these fish have adapted to survive in the mud of a dried up pool, and are ready to hatch when the wet season starts.
Non-annual Killifish
Species that live in permanent waters are far more akin to other fish species, and are perhaps less of a challenge to the new killikeeper. The best known non-annual killis are the Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax of west Africa, and the Rivulus species of south and central America.
Killifish conservation
Due to the fact that many killifish species inhabit a very small geographic area, they are particularly susceptible to extinction by habitat destruction. Numerous species are thought extinct, for example Nothobranchius steinforti has not been found since 1976, despite extensive searches. Others, such as Nothobranchius capriviensis are likely to be lost by construction projects that remodel the landscape in which their temporary pools would occur. It is the aim of many killifish keepers and societies to maintain captive populations of as many species as possible, to safeguard against future extinctions. For this reason, it is imperative that fish with known collection data are not cross bred with other similar-looking fish, as this may result in sterility in captive populations.
What's new on killi.co.uk
- How to keep Nothobranchius: my view on the best ways to keep Nothobranchius: reducing aggression, raising enough females, and having spare males for the community tank in your living room
- Major site revamp for 2019! After a while in the wilderness, killi.co.uk is back, with a new mobile/tablet friendly design. There are a lot of new photographs to come, nomenclature updates and blog posts. Old features, such as the breeding reports, have been brought up to date; if you've bred a killifish recently, why not fill in a report
- Brand new blog posting Nothobranchius furzeri 2008 a description, photos and video clips of my latest furzeri hatching.
- New Nothobranchius description. Two localities of Notho, previously referred to as aff. rubrippinis have been described as Nothobranchius cardinalis
- Brand new blog posting Nothobranchius sp. Messalo River MZHL 05-12
- New Nothobranchius species - pictures of the newly collected Zakouma National Park strain of Nothobranchius rubroreticulatus
killifish for sale
Killi.co.uk is funded by its visitors. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. For more info see
terms and conditions.
San Jose, California, 951**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$23
The unisex heavy cotton tee is the basic staple of any wardrobe. It is the foundation upon which casual fashion grows. All it needs is a personalized design to elevate things to profitability. The specialty spun fibers provide a smooth surface for premium printing vividity and sharpness. No side seams mean there are no itchy interruptions under the arms. The shoulders have tape for improved durability.
: 100% Cotton (fiber content may vary for different colors)
: Medium fabric (5 3 ...
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Indianapolis, Indiana, 462**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$18
* For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout *
This fairly uncommon lampeye killifish is a real standout due to its iridescent blue-green horizontal striping!
The Neon Stripe Lampeye Killifish (Aplocheilichthys macrophthalmus) is a peaceful fish whose small size makes it absolutely perfect for the nano or planted aquarium. Its ...
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Erie, Pennsylvania, 165**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$12
THE TULLIBEE - THE GRAYLING - THE STRIPED KILLIFISH Print
This print was taken from an antique book copyright 1902
Size of print: 9 1 / 2" x 6"
Would be a great print framed!!!
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