Nothobranchius patrizii Care Guide
Nothobranchius patrizii is a small annual killifish from coastal pools of Kenya and Somalia, with a powder-blue body, red speckling and a lemon-yellow tail.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Nothobranchius patrizii is a small annual killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae, found in East Africa. Males show a powder-blue body with red speckling and a lemon-yellow tail. According to FishBase, it is an annual species adapted to seasonally drying pools.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nothobranchiidae
- Genus: Nothobranchius
- Scientific name: Nothobranchius patrizii
Habitat
FishBase records the species from Kenya and Somalia, with reports from the Wabi Shebele basin in Ethiopia. It is a freshwater fish of temporary pools, swamps and ditches in the coastal plains, in waters of about 23-30 °C. These habitats fill during the rains and dry out completely afterwards.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 30 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Adult size: 3-5 cm
- Lifespan: 1-2 years
Diet
The species is a carnivore, with a trophic level of about 3.2 reported by FishBase. 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 patrizii is an egg-burying bottom spawner. The eggs survive in moist substrate during the dry period and hatch when re-wetted. FishBase notes that the species is very difficult to maintain in the aquarium.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed in January 2019.
Patrizi's Killifish (Nothobranchius patrizii) Breeding Guide
Overview
Nothobranchius patrizii is a small annual killifish of East Africa, recorded by FishBase from Kenya and Somalia and reported from the Wabi Shebele basin in Ethiopia. It reaches about 5 cm and lives in temporary pools, swamps and ditches of the coastal plains at 23-30 °C. FishBase notes it is very difficult to maintain in the aquarium.
Sexing
Males display a powder-blue body with red speckling and a lemon-yellow tail, while females are smaller and plain. Keep one male with several females in a quiet species tank.
Conditioning
As a carnivore it should be conditioned on small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp. Steady, high-quality feeding is especially important given its delicate reputation.
Breeding Setup
Provide a small species tank with a container of soft peat for spawning. As a bottom spawner it buries its eggs in the substrate, so a layer of fine peat or coir is provided for the fish to dive into. Soft water and subdued light help the pair settle.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The fish spawn by diving into the peat and depositing eggs within the medium. The egg-bearing peat is collected and gently squeezed to a damp consistency before being sealed for incubation, mirroring the drying of its natural pools.
Egg Diapause & Hatching
Following the general Nothobranchius pattern, the damp peat is stored at room temperature while the embryos develop and may pause in diapause. After the storage period the peat is flooded with soft, cool water, and the embryos hatch on detecting submersion. Because the species is hard to maintain, careful control of incubation moisture and temperature is essential.
Common Challenges
Its reputation for being difficult in captivity extends to breeding: small errors in storage moisture or wetting timing readily cause failed hatches or weak fry. Patience and a second drying-and-wetting cycle for unhatched eggs improve overall yields.