Killifish

[Cinnebuns]

I'm heavily considering doing some passive killifish breeding in a 10 gallon tank. I'm doing a lot of research to make sure this is something I want to do. The plan is to have the tank focused on being a display tank that happens to have a little breeding going on so the goal is not for optimum yield. 

Species wise I'm looking at the gardeners. But I have some questions to make sure this would work. Any species suggestions you think would work better is welcome. 

Is it best to keep a pair?  Trio?  Multiple pairs?

Will males fight?

Do I have to seperate the male and female after they spawn?  Some have told me this. If I do this is a deal breaker. 

Is live foods a requirement for fry?  I'm not opposed to it but I have never done it. 

Any other tips are welcome. 

[Fish Folk]

I assume you mean Gardneri?

I think that males will fight a bit. It's probably best to keep multiple females per male. A trio is probably all a 10 gal could hold. I'd, in fact, consider a different species, or a larger tank for Gardneri long term.

I've been breeding Scheeli. They're very similar -- a bit smaller, and maybe slightly less aggressive.

If you want a display 10 gal tank where fry emerge now and then, you'll want to have a ton of low cover. Males of the Genus Fundulopanchax typically chase females down to spawn in / against mops, plants, or substrate...

The eggs take weeks to hatch, and fry are so small, you won't see them well until they're weeks old. So if you have a load of java moss, they'll breed in there just fine and multiply for you slowly. Adults do eat some fry, but enough fry will live if your tank is well-planted.

I have really enjoyed the Emerald Killi (Scheeli). Here are a few photos of the males  I've kept, hatched out and raised up...

And here's a look at the 33-gal long that I use as a colony for them. They'll breed in here now, slowly multiplying. I don't necessarily need to specially breed them using mops / hatching jugs / fry grout tanks unless I want to...

But I think that I'd someday rally like to try my hand at the Australe Orange Killis. A guy in my fish club breeds and sells these. They really stand out brightly against green, making for a lovely contrast...

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Fish Folk

[Cinnebuns]

@Fish Folk omg those are beatiful!  Yeah maybe that species would be a better choice. Especially if males are more peaceful. That would reduce issues when the fry get older. Not that I will be doing so, but so I can inform anyone that I may be selling to, are they able to be kept in a community?  I personally only plan to put snails in with them. Partially because I went a little overboard with snails in my main tank and need to spread them out lol. Snails are helpful for algae and extra food tho too. I'm pretty sure that was the 2nd species i was looking at anyway too. Its been a long day so I forget lol. 

[MAC]

I had success with a pair of Gardneri in a densely planted 10g. It was more of a jungle than set up for display, but when I broke down the tank to move there were several fry of various sizes I caught out. 

A pair or trio would possibly give you some surviving fry if the tank had enough cover. I wouldn't do more than one male with that tank size.