Fundulopanchax gardneri ahli Care Guide
Fundulopanchax gardneri ahli is a hardy West African killifish from Nigeria and Cameroon, well suited to soft, neutral aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Ahl's killifish is a form of Fundulopanchax gardneri, a West African killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae. FishBase records F. gardneri at up to 6.5 cm total length; Wikipedia notes the same maximum and that it is not strictly annual but semi-annual, with eggs that can survive a drying period yet remain viable when permanently submerged.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nothobranchiidae
- Genus: Fundulopanchax
- Scientific name: Fundulopanchax gardneri ahli
Habitat
Per Wikipedia and FishBase, F. gardneri is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon, inhabiting tributary streams, brooks, swamps and marshes of the Cross River and Benue (lower Benue) basins across savanna and forested regions.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (about 11 gal)
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
Diet
A carnivorous micropredator that takes small live and frozen invertebrates such as Daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm.
Compatibility
A peaceful to lively killifish best kept with calm, similarly sized tankmates. A tight cover is essential, as this genus jumps readily.
Breeding
FishBase describes F. gardneri as a bottom spawner with roughly one month incubation. Wikipedia notes its eggs tolerate a drying period but also hatch when permanently submerged, typically within 14-21 days depending on temperature.
Conservation status
FishBase reports the species as Least Concern (assessed 2019); Wikipedia lists it as Near Threatened.
Ahl's Killifish Breeding Guide
Overview
Aphyosemion ahli is an old aquarium name for a member of the Fundulopanchax gardneri complex (Nothobranchiidae) from West Africa. Seriously Fish describes the steel-blue killifish F. gardneri as a switch or semi-annual species: its eggs withstand a period of drying but will also incubate and hatch when permanently submerged in water. Adults reach about 50-55 mm standard length.
Sexing
Seriously Fish notes that males grow larger, are more brightly coloured and develop more-extended fins than females. The plainer, shorter-finned females are easily told apart.
Conditioning
The fish is primarily a micropredator feeding on small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and other zooplankton, so it is conditioned on small live and frozen foods. Tropical Fish Hobbyist recommends generous live-food feeding before spawning.
Breeding Setup
Seriously Fish advises stocking two or three females per male so that no single female is harassed. Eggs are deposited among live plants, aquatic mosses or synthetic mops, while some breeders use a small tray of peat that is removed and dried after spawning. Seriously Fish gives 20-26 C, pH 6.0-7.5 and hardness of about 18-179 ppm.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The species spawns more or less continuously. Seriously Fish advises removing eggs daily because the adults will eat any they find. Eggs from mops can be picked off and incubated, or the peat tray can be lifted and dried.
Egg & Fry Care
Under water, Seriously Fish reports eggs normally hatch in 14-21 days depending on temperature, while about 3-4 weeks is the standard dry-storage period before wetting the peat to trigger hatching. The fry are free-swimming almost immediately and can be offered Artemia nauplii, microworm and similar as first foods.
Common Challenges
Egg predation by adults makes daily egg collection worthwhile. Choosing between water and dry incubation depends on convenience; dry-stored eggs can be timed to hatch together by wetting them all at once.