Killifish - Nothobranchius guentheri

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Guenther's Nothobranch, Guenther's Killifish, Guenthers Killifish, Nothobranchius Guentheri, Güenther's Notho, Guenther's Notho Scientific Name: Nothobranchius guentheri

Basic Info

Like others in the Nothobranchius genus, the mature guentheri will reach about one and a half inches in length. Nothobranchius guentheri is quite beautiful. Their bodies are mostly green with yellows and red mixed in. Caudal fins are long and red with brown edges. Females will not be as colorful, or as large.

Health

Nothobranchius guentheri is fairly easy to care for, which makes them a great fish for beginners. It should be noted that this fish is more susceptible to 'velvet', a disease caused by protozoa. For this reason they seem to do best in tanks with small amounts (one half to one teaspoon) of talk added. Nothobranchius guentheri will do well if kept at a temperature range between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH level of the water should be in a range between six and eight. Guenther's Killifish can be feed live foods, flake foods, freeze-dried and frozen foods. They prefer live aquatic insects, and ants. Breeding Nothobranchius guentheri is a soil spawning killifish. These fish require a dry incubation period of approximately 100 days before hatching, so patience is important when attempting to breed this species. Nothobranchius guentheri reach sexual maturity between three and five weeks of age. It is important to make sure that they are fed well so that they do not eat their eggs. Some hobbyists suggest removing parents once fry have hatched to prevent the parents from eating them.

Habitat

Fresh water fish

Behavior

Nothobranchius guentheri also known as "Guenther's Nothobranch Killifish", "Güenther's Notho", "Guenther's Notho", and "Guenther's Killifish" is a popular killifish among experience and novice hobbyists alike. Their beautiful bodies, and graceful motions make them a highly attractive fish for aquarists, in addition they are relatively hardy, and easy to care for making them a favorite! Nothobranchius guentheri has a reputation for aggressiveness towards its own kind, and for this reason it may be best not to house it with others of the same species. In community tanks the Nothobranchius guentheri is a shy and reclusive fish, and should probably not be kept with over active, aggressive fish. Nothobranchius guentheri will do best in medium to large tanks, with peat as a substrate, and live plants. Killifish are generally not common in pet stores, and beginners should contact their local killifish societies or clubs for information on how to acquire these wonderful fish. It should be noted that Nothobranchius guentheri is considered an "annual" fish and has a short lifespan that does not generally reach a year. For this reason the Nothobranchius guentheri reaches sexual maturity quite early, at three to five weeks of age.

Origin

Africa

History

Nothobranchius guentheri is from Zanzibar in East Africa. Like most killifish, enthusiasts will refer to this fish by its scientific name much more readily than by common names. This may be intimidating to those new to the hobby, but it is actually much easier to keep track of different fish by this method. With many animals common names are often misleading and used for several different species of animal. The use of the killifish's scientific name prevents this type of confusion.

Common Foods

N/A