Killifish are a diverse group of freshwater and saltwater fish known for their vibrant colors and unique breeding habits. They are popular among aquarium enthusiasts for their hardiness and adaptability to various water conditions. With lifespans typically ranging from one to three years, killifish are prized for their beauty and relatively short breeding cycles. Their ability to survive in temporary water bodies has led to remarkable adaptations, making them fascinating subjects for study in evolutionary biology.

Tank Size and Filter:

Most of the killifishes are smaller in size and they are comfortable in 5-10 gallon tank. The standard shape of killifish tank is shallow and rectangular. Ideal filtration system should be used sponge filter. Second choice for killifish filter is Hang on Back (HOB) filter. Killifish are very notorious and sometimes found jumping over the tank. So you need to have a shed over the tank to stop themselves jumping out.

Colors:

Killifish come in a wide variety of brilliant vibrant color such as green, blue, orange, gold and sometimes silver or brown. Males are typically brighter and more vibrant than female.

Behavior:

Lot of them are known to have aggressive tendency. So you often see breeder keeping them in three different tanks. Males tend to be more aggressive breeder. So ideally you want to have more than one female to lessen the aggressiveness of male. Most fishes of killifishes tend to be considered very hardy fish. They can actually survive in pretty poor water condition. This makes them optimal candidate for beginners. They are on the rise of popularity.

Water Quality:

Now many killifish do prefer softer and more acidic neutral water and pH 6-7.5. They also prefer colder water temperature between 60-75º F. This makes them even better because you might not have to go outside to buy a water heater. In fact the killifish aquarium you don’t want to have high temperature.

Fish Size:

Now Killifish can be smaller fish. Average killifish size is only between 1. 5 to 2 inches long. But sometimes you may find some killifish size is 4-6 inches long. Even larger killifish is relatively small.

Tank Decoration:

They actually like to have lots of plants inside the tank. They have the hiding tendency thus you need to decorate your tank with decors.

Fish Diet:

Killifish need very high quality protein diet. They might not always accept pellets and flakes. They tend to be best when you feed them live or frozen foods, brine shrimp and bloodworm. Feed them for two minutes and twice a day.

Tank Maintenance:

Partial water change upto 25% is recommended for Killifish tank. There should be continuous water test by using kits to check existence of ammonia and nitrites. Use chlorinator before pouring new tap water into the tank. Check weekly whether there is any blockage in filtration systems. If filter needs to wash don’t use tap water. Using tap water will remove all the necessary bacteria from the filter. Rather, rinsed filter in that water which has been removed from tank as part of weekly maintenance.