Red-spotted Killifish Breeding Guide

How to breed Aphyosemion cognatum, a non-annual Congolese killifish that deposits eggs in spawning mops, with fry emerging in water in about 14 days.

Overview

Aphyosemion cognatum is a small non-annual killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae from the Congo region of Africa. Like other plant-spawning Aphyosemion it lives in still and slow waters and breeds continuously rather than seasonally.

Sexing

As in plant-spawning killifish generally, the males are the larger, more colourful sex, while females are plainer with rounded fins. A single male with one or two females is the standard breeding group.

Conditioning

AquaInfo notes the species takes live food and rejects dry food, so conditioning is done on live foods. Tropical Fish Hobbyist recommends generous feedings of live and high-quality foods before spawning. The fish are noted to be rather susceptible to parasites.

Breeding Setup

A small spawning tank is furnished with a spawning mop. Because the fish are good jumpers a cover is needed. AquaInfo cautions that excessively high temperatures shorten the fishes' lifespan, so moderate warmth is kept. Tropical Fish Hobbyist gives a general range of about 80-200 ppm hardness and 20-27 C for plant-spawning killifish.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Eggs are deposited in the spawning mop. The mop is then transferred after a few days to a separate hatching tray. Tropical Fish Hobbyist describes plant-spawners depositing eggs continuously, with eggs handled a few hours after spawning thanks to their tough chorion.

Egg & Fry Care

AquaInfo reports the fry emerge from the transferred mop after about 14 days and can be reared on Artemia nauplii. Tropical Fish Hobbyist notes plant-spawner eggs hatch in roughly two to six weeks depending on species and temperature, with newly hatched brine shrimp suitable as a first food.

Common Challenges

AquaInfo flags parasite susceptibility; adding a little salt to the water is suggested as a precaution. Avoiding overly high temperatures preserves adult longevity, and a tight cover prevents jumping losses.