Buy annual killifish as eggs or adults?

[Ben P.]

My wife really wants to get some nothobranchius (don't kill me on the spelling) killis.  I understand they don't live all that long but some places online say up to a couple of years in aquarium.  I'm just wondering if it's a mistake to buy adults or experiences you've had with eggs?  And yes I do plan on breeding them so any thoughts there I'm listening to as well.  Thanks!

[TheSwissAquarist]

@Schuylers done a lot of killis. 

On 11/5/2023 at 1:06 AM, Ben P. said:

My wife really wants to get some nothobranchius (don't kill me on the spelling) killis.  I understand they don't live all that long but some places online say up to a couple of years in aquarium.  I'm just wondering if it's a mistake to buy adults or experiences you've had with eggs?  And yes I do plan on breeding them so any thoughts there I'm listening to as well.  Thanks!

 

[Schuyler]

It's really about your source and how confident you are in your ability to raise the fry.

If you can get a pair of young healthy adults then you'll be able to get tons of eggs and have multiple attempts at raising the fry. But if you get a pair that's part their prime the female will have no interest in spawning. My first pair I bought from an LFS who gets their killifish from a large wholesaler here in the West Coast. The female was really skinny and probably on the older side, she never bred. Looking at other females they got it since then it's been about a 50/50 shot of skinny and healthy.

Eggs on the other hand can be a little riskier but if you do it right you'll get a bunch of fish. You could also get unlucky and end up with no females.

I would see if anyone in your local aquarium club keeps them or check the list of American Killifish Association affiliated groups:

https://aka.org/!area_Affiliates/affiliates/acc/affiliate_club.html

Generally, killifish keepers are willing to share some eggs with someone new to killifish. If you happen to be in GSAS (Greater Seattle Aquarium Society) I'd be more than willing to share some eggs.

I also have some journals with my breeding attempts in my signature.

I bet @Fish Folk could chip in a bit more advice too

[gardenman]

There's an Amazon vendor, Green Water Farm, that sells killifish egg kits for around $31 after shipping. They say you get sixty eggs. They have quite a few different varieties available also. It would be a relatively low-cost way to experiment with raising them from eggs.

[Schuyler]

On 11/5/2023 at 7:36 AM, gardenman said:

There's an Amazon vendor, Green Water Farm, that sells killifish egg kits for around $31 after shipping. They say you get sixty eggs. They have quite a few different varieties available also. It would be a relatively low-cost way to experiment with raising them from eggs.

The thing with those is that they ship from Thailand and there is a disclaimer that they don't take any responsibility for eggs damaged by temperature. They don't ship with a heart pack or anything so it's a big gamble this time of year

[TheSwissAquarist]

Aquabid is probably a better way to find a vendor near you imo. 

[Ben P.]

If I didn't live pretty much in the middle of nowhere I would look for something local, but the nearest club is about 3 hours from me from what I can tell.  Pretty much stuck with online sources

[Fish Folk]

@Ben P. I have worked with Nothobranchius rachovii and Nothobranchius guentheri.

 

I haven’t personally found success buying eggs and hatching them. But others have. If you’re in US lower 48, reach out to a US killi breeder.

I have some eggs + peat from N. rachovii that will be ready to hatch around Easter. If you’re still looking by then, I’ll sell you them at 1-month of age.