5 Killifish Species

[Biulu]

Hi,

It is 90% certain that I will be moving to the Netherlands at the end of this year. This means much more fish keeping possibilities although I will still be travelling a substantial part of my time. However, only in blocks of 1 to 2 weeks, not like now where I can be gone for over a month at a time.

I have promised myself that I can have 5 killifish species (plus my large community tank) once I am settled there, and wondered which ones to choose?

I want to try to take my 2 current species (A. australe gold and F. gardneri 'Jos Plateau') with me as they are my first killies, and I am very attached to them.

What do you suggest I'd choose' I was thinking about spendopleure, striatum......

 

[Loony Fish]

lucky,
i've never seen a reall killi, idiots at the pet store,lol, get a clown killi.

 

[helterskelter]

Your in Mexico you can bring some wild livebeares over with you

Their loads all over some around Mexico city and in to the hi lands.

Plz

 

[Biulu]

lucky,
i've never seen a reall killi, idiots at the pet store,lol, get a clown killi.

I am more into vivid colours; to me the clown killi looks a bit drab apart from the tail. Thanks anyway for the suggestion.

 

[Loony Fish]

uh, your choise, i have seen a picture of a really well kept on and it was not in the least bit drab!

 

[susankat]

Most of the scripts and nothos has the better colors to me

 

[Biulu]

Most of the scripts and nothos has the better colors to me

What are scripts? Don¿t know that family....

 

[BigC]

What are scripts

A species group which include the following
Scriptaphyosemion banforense
Scriptaphyosemion bertholdi
Scriptaphyosemion brueningi
Scriptaphyosemion cauveti
Scriptaphyosemion chaytori
Scriptaphyosemion etzeli
Scriptaphyosemion fredrodi
Scriptaphyosemion geryi
Scriptaphyosemion guignardi
Scriptaphyosemion liberiense
Scriptaphyosemion nigrifluvi
Scriptaphyosemion roloffi
Scriptaphyosemion schmitti

Biulu I would just leave everything (IMHO) you'll be able to get those species in abundance once in the Netherlands and more besides. There are any amount of clubs and international bodies, fish conventions and local clubs to attain your stock. Joining the KFN should be your first priority
Contact
Wim and Yvonne Suijker
Straatweg 50,
3051 BH Rotterdam (NL)
tel (+31) (0)104185089...(please note this is from England and you may well have to play around with the prefix / international dialing code from where you are)
Regards
BigC

 

[Biulu]

Thanks for the replies.

What is the difference between aphyosemion and scriptaphyosemion. Their body shape looks very much the same..... Or is it just a newer name?

 

[Biulu]

Biulu I would just leave everything (IMHO) you'll be able to get those species in abundance once in the Netherlands and more besides. There are any amount of clubs and international bodies, fish conventions and local clubs to attain your stock. Joining the KFN should be your first priority
Contact
Wim and Yvonne Suijker
Straatweg 50,
3051 BH Rotterdam (NL)
tel (+31) (0)104185089...(please note this is from England and you may well have to play around with the prefix / international dialing code from where you are)
Regards
BigC

Last time I contacted them, I didn't get a reply. Besides, I will be only about 25 kms away from the German border and know now several killi people about 2 hrs drive away from where I expect to be. So I am inclined to join a local club there. Sam will be able to tell me who to contact in the Netherlands as he frequents their meetings.

I know I can easily get the species in Europe, but as they are my first killifish, I am still considering to take them.

What do you suggest I'd get in Europe apart from these 2?

 

[BigC]

What is the difference between aphyosemion and scriptaphyosemion

In the killifish world you will experience this quite frequently as the big taxologists and ichiologists discover new information about a specific species which will seperate it from the norm. These discoveries can be minute but still substantial enough for them to merit giving it a new class, sub-class, order, sub-order nomaclature.
In the early days most of the slender bodied non annuals and semi annuals were called Aphyosemion, nowdays well, alot have been re-classified into diferent genus
Aphyosemion gardneri to Fundulopanchax gardneri
Aphyosemion schmitti to Scriptoaphyosemion
even
Roloffia guineense to Aphyosemion guineense and now they are Archiaphyosemion guineense
So you see sometimes it hard to keep up, but most of the time the old hands will still refer to the above fish as Aphyosemion and people will often understand what they're refering to all be it technically incorrect.
Yeah if you have had dealings with Sam and are in the vicinity then join the DKG.
As for what other species you should aquire, then the worlds your oyster from that location. I would still stick to species that are relatively easy to breed and once sucessful with these then move on maybe try a few of the annual Notho sp.
Regards
BigC

 

[Biulu]

Yeah, I didn't think about getting too difficult species, as the new location doesn't imply more experience with killies!

For that reason I was thinking of A. striatum (I already wanted tohave this species last time), and you suggested splendopleure back then, which is also a beautiful fish. I know I can get the striatum in Germany, and splendopleure maybe from Sweden? Her splendopleure is really awesome!

 

[BigC]

Thats another group (Splendoplure) used to be classified as Bivittatum (Biv-e-tay- tum) or Biteniatum (Bi-tin-e-a- tum)
They are now called Chromaphyosemion splendopleure (Chromoaphyosemion complex)
Then you have the location codes such as Chromaphyosemion splendopleure "Tiko" (from Tiko) There are others. Then you have the expedition colection names.
Aphyosemion australe EBT 96/27. First you have the species name, the Bold letters indicate the surnames of the people who found it, then you have the year and lastly you have a geographical location number. Quite techie I know but it has to be that way for the purists amongst us and for future reference.
Can get quite mesmerising sometimes.

Anyway a very nice fish from the Chromoaphyosemion complex which I used to keep is from Ijebu Ode
Chromoaphyosemion bitaeniatum Ijebu Ode
Spectacular looking males, when the square up to each other and flare their fins (much like male Bettas) the sight is amazing.
Pretty easy to breed too.

Can I recommend some books from the Aqualog series. These are not really indepth information books, more a pictorial overview
They come in 3 volumes
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: Old World Killis I
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: Old World Killis II
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: New World Killis

Exceptional books, you can reference something you like and then go on and do some more indepth research.

Aphyosemion striatum is a good choice for your next aquisition.

All the best
BigC

 

[Biulu]

Anyway a very nice fish from the Chromoaphyosemion complex which I used to keep is from Ijebu Ode
Chromoaphyosemion bitaeniatum Ijebu Ode
Spectacular looking males, when the square up to each other and flare their fins (much like male Bettas) the sight is amazing.
Pretty easy to breed too.

Can I recommend some books from the Aqualog series. These are not really indepth information books, more a pictorial overview
They come in 3 volumes
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: Old World Killis I
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: Old World Killis II
Aqualog - Killifishes of the World: New World Killis

Aphyosemion striatum is a good choice for your next aquisition.

All the best
BigC

Definitively an extraordinary fish! Is it difficult to take care of and to breed? I remember you recommended it back then, but do not know whether it is really a good beginners species.

I will try to look up the books at amazon or similar. Is this the series given out by the American Killifish Association? I remember having read something about their books.