They are unique in that most have eggs that can be dried for months and then hatch within a day of wetting. Dried eggs can be shipped cheaply around the world, and the young fry can be raised in small dishes. Adults can be kept and bred in small 5-gallon tanks. Almost all Killifish jump well. In the wild it helps them get to new puddles, but in a fish room it can be a flight to the next world. You should keep the tank securely lidded. Of those kept in aquaria there are two major categories that relate to their care: Annual Killifish and non-annual or semi-annual.

We are currently working to breed over 26 species of Killifish. Many of the newer species will not be avliable for some time, but as extra pairs mature they will be offered on AquaBid or at Expo's.

non-annual/semi-annual killifish:

Non-annual killifish are a lot like other small fish kept in aquaria. They typically have 2-3 year lifespans and eggs that hatch in water (without drying). They reach maturity and breeding age quickly, usually in 4 months or less, and in most cases the eggs can still be dried and stored for short periods (1-2 months).

Fundulopanchax Gardneri nigerianus Misaje ADL 13-15

Gardneri Killifish are very easy to breed mop spawners. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 3 inches long. They are one of the best starting killifish, as they are beautiful, durable, and prolific in most conditions. In a community tank the males tend to be slightly aggressive, similar to a dwarf gurami or kribensis. Unless overcrowded the aggression is mostly towards other males of the same species. Several can be kept together if each has enough room to defend about a 10-inch diameter territory. This line is from the Misaje location in Cameroon, showing a stronger blue base color than many other lines.

I almost always have some Gardneri avliable - check AquaBid and my GetGills store or contact us at contact@bluebladefish.com

Fundulopanchax gresensi Takwai

Fundulopanchax gresensi of the Takwai collection and location are another non-annual Killifish that grow to about 2.5 inches long. They are found near the villages of Takwai in Cameroon, west Africa. These are a recent acquisition, and have not started producing yet.

Fundulopanchax kribianus fifinda ADK 09-301

Fundulopanchax kribianus, also known as Fundulopanchax fallax, are a rare species bearing some resemblance to F. sjoestedti but with more red and orange. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years, and like F. sjoestedti they grow to almost 4 inches long and and love to eat. Make sure to separate the larger fry so they don't eat their smaller siblings. They breed well with bottom mops or peat in a dish.

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti Warri

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti from the "Warri" location of Nigeria are one of the first sjoestedti introduced to the hobby. This is the OG "Blue Gularis". They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 4 inches long. They have good personality, unique and beautiful colors, and love to eat. Though bigger than Gardneri, they are slightly less aggressive. Make sure to separate the larger fry so they don't eat their smaller siblings. They breed well with bottom mops or peat in a dish.

Fundulopanchax spoorenbergi

Fundulopanchax spoorenbergi are non-annual Killifish that grow to about 2.5 inches long from the Nigeria/Cameroon area of west Africa. They are a smaller, more slender, and much more gentle killie than the gardneri while having similar coloration (though with better blues and greens on the body). They tend to be a bit shy, but breed well with bottom mops.

Fundulopanchax scheeli

Fundulopanchax scheeli are another non-annual Killifish that grow to about 2.5 inches long from the Nigeria/Cameroon area of west Africa. They are a smaller, more pastel in coloration, and more gentle than Gardneri killifish. They seem to prefer bottom mops, and fry will often hatch and grow out with the adults if some plant cover is present.

Aphyosemion australe BSWG 97-24 Cap Esterias

Aphyosemion australe are one of the longest kept killies in the hobby. The BSWG 97-24 Cap Esterias line was introduced in 1997 from Gabon Africa. Known as the "lyretail killifish" they have beautiful finnage and grow to about 2.5 inches long. Use a long top mop for breeding, though I tend to collect more fry from the tank than from eggs I collect and hatch. Many describe this fish as an easy one to breed and a good starter, though it has taken a while for me to get them producing. Now that they are, i should have some aviliable soon.

Aphyosemion bitaeniatum Meko Red

Also known as Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum, Aphyosemion bitaeniatum of the Meko location were collected from a small streams near Niger river in the Nigeria/Cameroon area of west Africa. They are a beutiful fish with the Males displaying long fins and a rainbow of color and irridescence and deep red colors. These are a new Species at BBF, but they have been producing well. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to about 2 inches long.

Aphyosemion dargei Mbam

Aphyosemion dargei of the Mbam river collection location in Cameroon are a beautiful blue killifish with yellow fins and red accents. Eggs are lain in top mops, and are larger than typical and yellow. This is a new species in our Fishroom, and so far the egg production rate has been low, but the hatch rate is high.

Aphyosemion elberti Batibo ADL 13-22

Aphyosemion elberti of the Batibo ADL 13-22 collection location in Cameroon are a beautiful pale blue killifish with vertical red bands and blue-green fins. These are a new Species at BBF. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to about 2 inches long. I haven't yet tried them in a community tank, but I expect them to be peaceful if not shy.

Aphyosemion elegans RC 19/19

Aphyosemion elegans of the RC 19/19 collection location in the Republic of the Congo are a beautiful blue killifish with covered in red spots and yellow stripes on the fins. These are a new Species at BBF, but they have been producing well. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 2.5 inches long. I haven't yet tried them in a community tank, but I expect them to be peaceful if not shy.

Aphyosemion gabunense GBG 93/30

Aphyosemion gabunense of the GBG 93/30 collection location in Gabon are a beautiful red and green killifish. They have shown to be very prolific. Eggs are lain in top mops, but if you are slow to pull them you may find dozens of fry in the tank (I have) that they don't seem to eat. They are slower to grow and mature than many of the more common Aphyosemion species. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 2.5 inches long. They do well in a community tank, and are peaceful if not shy.

I almost always have some A. gabunense avliable - check AquaBid and my GetGills store or contact us at contact@bluebladefish.com

Aphyosemion ocellatum SikaSika GJS 00/05

Aphyosemion ocellatum of the SikaSika GJS 00/05 collection from Gabon are a beautiful killifish with a yellow body and fins, a large black spot behind the head, and a thick blue band covering half the body. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 2 inches long. These are a new species at BBF, so breeding notes will be updated as we learn more.

Aphyosemion ogoense GHP 80/24

Aphyosemion ogoense of the GHP 80/24 collection are a beautiful killifish with a bright blue base and horizontal red stripes and spots. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 2.5 inches long. These are a new species at BBF, so breeding notes will be updated as we learn more.

Aphyosemion riggenbachi Ndokama

Also known as Chromaphyosemion riggenbachi, This line of Aphyosemion riggenbachi are from the the Ndokama location in Cameroon. Like the other "Chromaphyosemion" fish, they have long fins and colorful iridescence. The riggenbachi Ndokama have a golden base color to the body with bright red spots, blending to a yellow/green in the fins tipped with white. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to about 2 inches long. These are a new species at BBF, so breeding notes will be updated as we learn more.

Aphyosemion splendopleure Tiko Green

Also known as Chromaphyosemion splendopleure, Aphyosemion splendopleure of the Tiko location were collected from a small streams near western Cameroon. Like the other "Chromaphyosemion" fish, they have long fins and a rainbow of color and irridescence. The splendopleure Tiko Green have a blue/green irridescence to the body but are mostly red/orange, blending to strong yellow/orange in the fins. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to about 2 inches long.

Aphyosemion striatum Cap de Estrellas

Aphyosemion striatum of the Cap de Estrellas collection location in Gabon are a beautiful blue and green killifish covered in small red spots arranged in horizontal stripes. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to about 2 inches long.

Aphyosemion volcanum Chutes d’Ekom HML 99-1

Also known as Chromaphyosemion volcanum, and formerley described as a Aphyosemion bivittatum superspecies, Aphyosemion volcanum of the Chutes d’Ekom HML 99-1 location were collected from a small stream near the Mt cameroon volcano in Cameroon. They are a beutiful fish with the Males displaying long fins and a rainbow of color and irridescence. The Females, while not nearly as colorfull as the males, do have some red tints and black banding which is unique. Eggs are lain in top mops. They are slow to grow and mature, and egg production seems slow untill they reach 9 months to a year old. They are non-annual Killifish that live several years and grow to almost 2.5 inches long. In a community tank, they are peaceful if not shy.

Aplocheilus lineatus Gold

the "Golden Wonder" Killifish is one of the few fish you may find in pet stores. They are a larger killifish, growing to over 3 inches long. They come from shallow and occasionally brackish waters of India and Sri Lanka. The “gold” variant is an aquarium bred fish selected for the fantastic gold color. These fish like to stay near the top of the tank and snatch food from the surface with their large upward facing mouth. They are not picky eaters and will eat most anything they can, including fry and smaller fish. They lay their eggs in floating mops or vegetation. Eggs develop quickly and hatch to produce large fry capable of eating BBS or almost any small foods right away. They can jump, so keep a lid on them.

Epiplatys roloffi

Epiplatys roloffi are colorful non-annual killifish that grow to almost 2.5 inches long. They come from Liberia, the Ivory Coast and Guinea and they tend to stay near the surface of the water. Rumor has it that they can difficult to breed, but so far they have been producing a fair number of eggs for us.

Annual Killifish:

Annual Killifish have hard lives in the wild - they often inhabit very shallow waters that dry up completely for several months. Their lives are focused on growing up fast, and breeding before the dry season. The eggs then lay at rest in the dry or damp soil until the next rain, when the cycle begins again. In our aquariums they may live a bit longer than a year, and the eggs must be collected and stored for 3 to 6 months before they will hatch.

Nothobranchius eggersi blue

Eggersi blue or "Blue Orchid Notho" killifish are similar in care and nature to the Rachovii. The 1.5 to 2 inch "blue" eggersi are an aquarium strain that is predominately a pale metallic blue that can easily be seen from across the room. Nothobranchius eggersi are found in East Africa in pools and swamps near the Rufiji River in Tanzania. Incubate eggs for 2-4 months before hatching.

Nothobranchius guentheri Zanzibar TAN 14-2

Guntheri Killies are a bit slimmer than the previous two, with slightly smaller pectoral fins. This seems to reduce the puppy look a bit, but they still have the same behaviors. This line was collected from marshes of the Zanzibar archipelago of Unguja Island in eastern Tanzania. Eggs should be incubated for 3-4 months.

Nothobranchius guentheri Zanzibar TAN 14-2 "Blue"

An offshoot of the "Zanzibar TAN 14-2" Line. These Beautiful fish are missing the Red pigment, making the predominant color a bright iridescent Blue\White. In every other way, they are identical to N. guentheri Zanzibar TAN 14-2.

Nothobranchius korthausae Mafia Island

Nothobranchius korthausae are a neat little annual from streams and rivers of Mafia island off the coast of Tanzania. Like all Nothos, they breed well in peat or substrate and the eggs must be dried for a few months. These fish often present as either bright red or a bronze/silver color. We shall see how this line produces in the coming months.

Nothobranchius polli Lusambo CD 23-16

These Nothobranchius polli are a new collection from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The parents were collected from the wild in April 2023, and we are currently breeding the first generation (F1) of captive raised fish from this collection. They appear to be producing many eggs, so hopefully after a few more months of incubation there will be many of these fish available.

Nothobranchius rachovii Beira 98

Rachovii Killifish are my favorites. They are annuals that grow to about 2 inches long, have wonderful puppy like mannerisms, and fantastic color. This line was collected from waters around the Pungwe river near Beira, Mozambique in southern Africa. Eggs are lain in peat and should be stored for 5 to 7 months before wetting again. They grow fast, breed easily, and are all round gorgeous and entertaining fish.

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