Nothobranchius kilomberoensis Care Guide
Nothobranchius kilomberoensis is an annual killifish from the seasonal pools of the Kilombero floodplain in Tanzania, with bright blue scaling and red unpaired fins.
Overview
Nothobranchius kilomberoensis is an annual killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae from Tanzania, named after the Kilombero River, its type locality. Males show dark red spots on the lower head and throat, with dorsal and anal fins edged in white-blue to light blue; females are marked with spots on the head, body and unpaired fins.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nothobranchiidae
- Genus: Nothobranchius
- Scientific name: Nothobranchius kilomberoensis
Habitat
FishBase records the species from Tanzania, where it is a freshwater, benthopelagic fish of seasonal, ephemeral pools. It keeps to water close to the substrate and favours areas of pools with the highest grass density. These pools fill during the rains and dry out completely afterwards.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Adult size: 5-6 cm
- Lifespan: 1-2 years
Diet
The species is a carnivore, with a trophic level of about 3.2 reported by FishBase, indicating a small predator. In the hobby it takes live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
It is best kept as a single male with several females in a quiet species tank, and should not be combined with aggressive tankmates.
Breeding
Nothobranchius kilomberoensis is an egg-burying bottom spawner. The eggs survive in moist substrate during the dry period and hatch when re-wetted, completing the annual cycle.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable, assessed in December 2018.