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Re: New killies for the newbie.

It sounds like you are on the right track.  Usually we drip acclimate killies to make sure that the water in our tanks does not shock the arrivals.  Too late for that.  I like to quarantine my fish.  Too late for that too.  I would add one teaspoon of noniodized salt per ten gallons.  This will help the fishes immune system and minimize the chance of infection or velvet.

The foods you mention are fine.  I would concentrate on the baby brine shrimp.

The first three fish you mention are African killies.  Generally the big torpedo shaped killies are Fundulopanchax and the smaller torpedo shaped killies are Aphyosemion. The genus Nothobranchius also comes from Africa and is very popular in the hobby.

Fundulopanchax mirabilis grows to about 3 inches.  If I am thinking of the right fish it has large red scales.  It is a good jumper.  Keep this one covered.  Mop spawner.  Two week incubation.

Aphyosemion bitaneatum.  Looks a lot like A. bivitattum.  A very peaceful fish which enjoys a planted tank.  Fry will appear in the parents tank and if the parents are well fed, the fry will be left alone.

Fundulopanchax gardneri albino akure strain.  The Aphyosemions were split into two genera a dozen years ago.  This fish may be listed in your books as Aphysomenion gardneri.  Fish should have a lot of yellow on it.  Considered one of the easiest beginners fish.  This is the fish that my son started with.  He was two years old, in diapers still, and kept and bred this fish!!  Males sometimes fight and sometimes jump out of the tank, so keep the water low and the tank covered.  All of the albinos are light sensitive, so try to keep this one a little dark.  Two week incubation on this mop spawner.

Rivulus Cryptocallus.  This is a large South American plant spawner.  They are usually sold too young to breed so you may not get many eggs at first.  When they do breed the eggs will be huge.  Two week incubation.  Rivulus are great jumpers.  Keep this one covered too.  Scott Davis once wrote a humourous article about how his Rivulus jumped out of an airline hole.  The Rivulus is probably the rarest of the fish you have.  It will have to be a full year old before it is really show quality and size, whereas the other fish will reach full size much earlier.

If you have any questions contact me at bmeyer at parkland_cc.il.us 

Make sure your tanks are only ½ full and keep them covered until the fish get acclimated.
If you contact the breeder, she can probably send more info.
Good luck..bob


>>> normane at edelendoors_com 09/07/00 11:22PM >>>
Hello All,

A friend of mine had to make a sudden move from one city to another, and
didn't have room for some killies he had ordered.  He had ordered them
sometime before the move was planned, and just forgot about them.  They
arrived today, and he asked me to take them off his hands.  I am new to
killies, and have virtually no experience with them.

I have housed each species in a bare ten gallon tank, with a sponge filter,
no heater, and dim lighting.  In each tank I have placed a yarn mop, lying
on the bottom.

I wouldn't mind help in this undertaking.  I don't even know which genus
some of these animals are.  Here is how the bags were labeled.

Fp. mirabile Mbio (2 pairs)
A. bit. (2 pairs)
Fp. gar. Akure albino (3 pairs)
R. cryptocallus (2 pairs)

So, any help would be appreciated.  What do I have, and will the tanks
described above suffice.  Breeding advice would be wonderful

As to feeding, I feed baby brine shrimp about 6 days a week.  Adult brine
once a week.  I haven't feed these animals yet, as I have just finished
unbagging them.  I also have flake foods, etc, but I am feeling that
offering such fare to these creatures might prove unsatisfactory.  What
about frozen foods?

I hope you all are novice friendly!

Norm

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