American Flag Fish

[BeeD]

https://aquaticarts.com/products/american-flagfish-killifish

Okay Flag Fish keepers, I have some questions. I've wanted to keep these for quite a while, but whenever I think about pressing that button on Aquabid, I hit two snags because of my current setups. 

1. Plants... Do they eat crypts? I assume they will destroy guppy grass and leave anubias alone. What about pothos roots?
2. I've read they don't always eat algae. How do they do with a normal variety dry/frozen? Have you seen them become dependent on live foods? Do they like those nori strips?

So that's all. I want to set up a cool tolerant tank in my basement with rosy red minnows, flag fish, and white clouds. I think between the rosy reds, flag fish, and my tank setup, algae will become pretty scarce. I can supplement with guppy grass trimmings if the flag fish are interested.

[Widgets]

I've wanted to keep these before I even knew what what they were. I caught one as a kid on a canoe trip. I kept it for a few days, while still on the trip, but let it go because I didn't know what it was and how to take care of it. I had a 10g outside on a picnic table where I kept my catches (mostly mosquito fish). There were no cell phones or internet to research.

I never have caught one again. I want to keep them in a native tank of all wild caught fish.

[Widgets]

@BrettD My LFS had some this week. I pulled the trigger. So far no damage to any plants, including the Crypts. 

 

[mbwells]

@BrettD I have never kept flagfish at all.  No experience with them.  However, I looked over a number of forums and saw several people keeping their flagfish with crypts with no problems.  The general consensus is that flagfish will voraciously consume duckweed (and possibly other floating plants) when they no longer have a good source of algae.  If the tank doesn't have enough decorations so males can stake out a specific area as "their" territory, then you can also have aggression issues.  Those are the only issues I've seen.  Sorry I couldn't offer any first hand experiences. 

[BeeD]

@Widgets@mbwells Thanks for your input. I plan on keeping my eyes open for a male and two females when warm weather hits, I'm sure there will be a few on Aquabid. I think I'll save this thread for updates.

[Brandon p]

I wanted to try some Florida flag fish in many small pond. I have tried looking for them in wild but have never seen one. When I looked online I though they were more expensive than I excepted. I’m in south Florida and not many LFS carry them in town. I know I can have them ordered but I’m not sure price I have seen $10 a fish last year it was $10 a pair

[Kathy F]

On 3/29/2022 at 3:44 AM, Brandon p said:

I wanted to try some Florida flag fish in many small pond. I have tried looking for them in wild but have never seen one. When I looked online I though they were more expensive than I excepted. I’m in south Florida and not many LFS carry them in town. I know I can have them ordered but I’m not sure price I have seen $10 a fish last year it was $10 a pair

My LFS sells them for $4.99 and they are definitely not a cheap store.   I just bought one last week from them.   

[Widgets]

My LFS had them for $4. I would love to catch some, but only ever caught the one way to many years ago. At $4 I had to buy some.