Re: [Killietalk] Newbie to Killies- long

["Mark R" <oldsan at gmail_com>]

Holly,
I hope you have lots of extra space, because you might be buying quite a few
tanks in the near future - killifish can be quite addicting!

You picked a great species to start out with. Sounds like you've already
done your research - I'll simply suggest an easy setup that will make them
happy and produce fry :
Tie a lot of java moss and anubias to some driftwood and lava rocks (the
more the better), get enough simple floating plants like eared water moss or
frogbit to cover about half the surface, a sponge filter, a heater if you
need one, put a cheap fluorescent light above it all (aim for 2 watts per
gallon, more might invite algae), do 25% water changes every week, feed good
food alternating flakes and frozen bloodworms once or twice a day, maybe a
mineral supplement for the plants once or twice a month (I use Seachem
Flourish). Fry will appear among the floaters in no time which you can spoon
out if you wish. You can get more fancy than this or even simpler (the
variations are endless) but this is a simple way for a healthy tank.

Also, cover the tank or they'll jump out. You'll need a bigger tank
probably, these guys can get really big for killies and are aggressive.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck.


On 2/22/07, Holly Leach <hollyszoo at knology_net> wrote:
>
> I've been reading about killies since being introduced to them by someone
> I
> met online buying snail products from. She mentioned that she raised
> killifish which sent me on a Google frenzy. I was astonished at the colors
> and shapes and everything about these beautiful fish.
>
> I decided to try and find some locally. Shipping anywhere is dicey this
> time
> of year and I was feeling a little antsy. I broke one of my major personal
> rules and bought several "golden wonder" killies at the local pet
> megastore.
> It was sort of a shock and awe thing. I went in looking for toys to
> distract
> and entertain my newly sexually mature and frustrated screaming Solomon
> Island Eclectus parrot and as I browsed the tanks I was hit by the tag
> "golden wonder killi". I had no idea that pet megastore would carry them
> and
> when I saw them I grabbed them all up. I now have what I believe to be a
> young male and 4 female. The male is smaller than the smallest of the
> females but a brilliant yellow. All of them have fin edgings of
> red/orange.
> The females seem so plain until the light hits them just right and its
> just
> like they've been showered in gold dust.
>
> Right now those 5 are in a heavily fake-planted 10g tank and seem to be
> happy hanging out right at the water line. They ate well earlier (frozen
> bloodworms) and seem to be in pretty good shape. I'm reading and
> researching
> all I can so that I can provide them with everything they need. I would
> love
> to set up a biotope aquarium for them but more research is required. They
> will be upgraded to larger accommodations as I have read that a 10g for
> that
> many would be far too small and possibly provoke aggression. I also
> suspect
> that these are not full adults, esp. the male as he is so much smaller
> than
> the females.
>
> I would like more killies but it seems this isn't the time of year to be
> shipping and receiving. There are too many wild temperature variables, and
> too few live fish guarantees. Also, I was shocked at the cost of shipping
> alone. I would much rather walk into a store (or someone's house or fish
> room) and pick up my fish than have them mailed to me but I realize with
> killies this may be an impossibility unless I can find a local basement
> killie breeder :)
>
> All for now...
>
> Holly
> Redstone Arsenal, AL
>
>
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