INDEX
KILLIFISH
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THE FISH
Killifish (Austrolebias bellotti)
(Argentine Pearl)
Austrolebias bellotti
| HABITS |
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These killifish from Argentina and Uruguay are referred to as annual fish because they have a life span of less than 1 year, due to their habitat totally drying out at certain times of the year. Since these fish have evolved to grow to maturity and to breed in a few months, they will not live any longer in an aquarium. With the urgency of their lifestyle comes aggression in the males towards their own species and to a lesser extent towards others, depending on their size. The prefer water with a neutral pH (6.7 to 7.3) and temperatures between 64ºF and 77ºF, although they can withstand temperatures down to 40ºF for short periods.
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| SIZE |
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The males can grow up to 7 cm, while the females are a little smaller. They will breed at half this size.
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| FOOD |
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Will eat most foods, but prefer live if available. See recommended sera Foods below,
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FOOD
TYPES |
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| SEXING |
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Males are pale blue, becoming darker during spawning, with vertical rows of white spots on their flanks and a few on their unpaired fins. Females are silver-gray with faint, dark, vertical bands on their flanks.
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| BREEDING |
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The best way to breed these fish is to have 1 male and 2 females in a 2-3 gallon tank with plenty of hiding places and a plastic container filled with about 2 cm of boiled peat in which the fish will spawn. The peat can be removed and replaced with fresh every week or so. To simulate the dry season, the removed peat should be gently squeezed until just damp and left on a sheet of paper to dry slightly for a day before it is stored in a plastic bag for about 4 months. At the end of this period, the eggs, which are less than 1 mm in diameter, should be ready to hatch. Place the peat in a tank with 2 - 3 cm of water and within 48 hours the fry should emerge. They will be tiny and require infusoria and microworm for the first week. Often, it is worth redrying the peat and wetting it a few weeks later as not all the fry will hatch the first time. Separating the adult male from the females occasionally will give them some breathing space. The temperature for breeding is the higher end of the range stated above, but cooler water added to the peat after drying can prompt the fry to hatch.
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The Fish
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