Re: [Killietalk] High temp limit for killies

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

Jennifer,

Lowland killies, from near the equatorial coasts are more likely to
tolerate the higher temperatures. Try Chromaphyosemions, like BIT and
BIV or even some coastal Epiplatys. Coastal Lampeyes from E. Africa
might be good, but Nothos, like *guentheri* or *korthausae* tend to be
short-lived at higher temps, I think.

You need to find a book with maps to do the best job of selection. I
like Radda and Purzl, for W. African species, and Brousseau for SA
annuals. As I recall, the Wildekamp series has good maps, too.
Unfortunately, few show actual elevations which dominate the temps in
the tropics (year-around snow on Kilamenjaro, for example). Inland is
usually cooler, though, in W. Africa which is mountainous. Not so true
for deltas, like the Amazon basin. Maybe the on-line CIA country maps
will help, here. They give a bit of climate data, too, as I recall.

There is little of this killifish data available on-line, but lots of
other helpful resources like the CIA writeups.
<http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/>

It does little good to just go by country, for even small ones like
Gabon support near-ice-water fish, like *jorgenscheeli* and *Diapterons*
and hot coastal species like *australe*. You need to factor in topography.

All this, of course, is IMHO. YMMV. :-)

Wright

Jennifer Peters wrote:
> I have a planted tank with a variety of fish including discus, neon 
> tetras, American-flag fish, cory cats and otos.  I would like to have
>  a few killies also.  My concern is the temperature of my tank:  it 
> runs on average 84.5 degrees and does get up to 86 on occasion.  Are 
> there any killifish that would be ok at this temp?  I have searched 
> the web but have never really found an upper limit for this type of 
> fish.
>
>
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--
Wright Huntley -- 760 872-3995 -- Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514

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