Aphyosemion striatum Care Guide
Aphyosemion striatum is a small non-annual killifish from coastal Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, kept in soft, peaceful blackwater aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Aphyosemion striatum is a small West-Central African killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae. According to FishBase it is not a seasonal killifish and reaches up to 6.0 cm total length. Males are larger and more intensely coloured than females, with longer caudal, dorsal and anal fins.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nothobranchiidae
- Genus: Aphyosemion
- Scientific name: Aphyosemion striatum
Habitat
Seriously Fish reports the species from West-Central Africa between the lower Mitémélé drainage in Equatorial Guinea and the lower Ogooué basin in Gabon, including the Abanga River. It inhabits lowland rainforest streams, pools and freshwater swamps in coastal areas.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (about 11 gal)
- Temperature: 22-25 °C (72-77 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.0
- GH: 1-8 °dGH
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
Diet
The species is a micropredator. Seriously Fish notes a preference for small live and frozen foods such as Daphnia and bloodworm, with quality flake also accepted.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes A. striatum as peaceful and rather shy, easily outcompeted by boisterous fish. It is an accomplished jumper, so a tight-fitting cover is essential. Suitable companions include small tetras, peaceful cyprinids, Corydoras and dwarf cichlids.
Breeding
According to Seriously Fish, females deposit roughly 20-30 eggs daily over about two weeks among substrate or fine-leaved vegetation. Eggs incubated in water hatch in 10-14 days, or about 18 days on damp peat. Fry first take infusoria, then Artemia nauplii.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009), per FishBase.
Red-striped Killifish Breeding Guide
Overview
Aphyosemion striatum is a non-annual killifish from the lower Mitemele and lower Ogooue basins of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. According to Seriously Fish it reaches about 45-50 mm standard length and, being non-annual, is relatively long-lived compared with the soil-spawning annual killifish.
Sexing
Seriously Fish notes that males are visibly larger, more intensely coloured, and have longer caudal, dorsal and anal fins than females. Females are plainer and shorter-finned.
Conditioning
Seriously Fish recommends conditioning on a varied diet of live and frozen foods, keeping males and females apart beforehand so that females are not subjected to continuous spawning stress. Small live or frozen foods such as Daphnia and bloodworm are preferred.
Breeding Setup
A single pair or a trio of one male and two females is used in a small dedicated tank, furnished with peat moss, fine-leaved plants or artificial spawning mops. A small air-driven sponge filter keeps the water from stagnating, and no artificial lighting is required. Seriously Fish gives water of around neutral pH, 20-26 C, pH 6.5-7.5 and hardness of about 54-215 ppm.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Females deposit eggs in daily batches of about 20-30 over roughly two weeks, but Seriously Fish advises letting a pair spawn for only about one week at a time because the process is exhausting, especially for females. Eggs are laid in the substrate or among the mop or plant fibres.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs incubated in shallow water with methylene blue, kept in darkness, hatch in about 10-14 days depending on temperature; eggs incubated in peat moss in a warm dark container take roughly 18 days. Fry are first offered infusoria-grade foods, then Artemia nauplii or microworm after about two days. Feed twice daily, keep the fry shallow at first and raise the water level as they grow, with water changes every two to three days.
Common Challenges
Over-spawning a female is the main risk, so resting periods between spawns are important. As with most killifish, the adults and the fry are accomplished jumpers, so a tight cover is essential.