Killies W/tetras

[fredgarvin]

Back about 25 years ago, one of my local stores was owned by a guy who was also a breeder of killies. I bought linneatus and lyres off him. The Lyres were excellent communty fish, but their colors are too similar to many tets. I wonder about Linnaetus with tets. Mine were kinda green with beautiful etched gold scales. Their mouths are huge for their body size and I'm afraid to put a pair in with neons. Are there any relatives that would be safer? getting back to the hobby and I don't know which of several projects I want to try 1st. A community tank of schooling tets with a pair or 2 of killies is of great interest to me. Same the same killie guy went out of biz even b4 I left the hobby. He could supply killes that NO ONE else could. Even bought a pair of fire killies off him, but hadd' em only a few months. Sigh. the were GORGEOUS. Too fussy for a community tank though. Such acid water...

 

[BigC]

Hi Fred,
Lets see if I can find those false teeth. Ah! yes there we go. LOL
You probably had the wild form of Linneatus way back then with the green irridesant scales and stripes in the latter part of the body. They are lovely easy to breed Killifish species but with one problem....they are predatory..OK most of killifish species are...but their size and cavernous mouth spell impending doom for small tetras and the like. Bought from a LFS at around 50mm (2" in old money) they are fine, no problems, but they grow and can attain a size close to 100mm (4") in aquarium conditions.
There are smaller relatives such as
Aplocheilus blockii / Green panchax which is a bit more sedate.
There is another very small one one from Goa in India called
Aplocheilus kirchmayeri
Problem is getting hold of them, most ardent fanciers go for highly colourful or hard to breed species these days.
Epiplatys species might be more suited to you for availability.
Species that are peaceful include
Ps. annulatus (but they are small and quite delicate)
Ep. dageti Monroviae (one of my favourites)
Ep.lamottei is also quite colourful.
Regards
BigC

 

[fredgarvin]

Thanks a ton. BTW the local minnows here in NJ are killies. the same species inhabit both fresh and salt water. I know that it "isn't done" to keep a local fish (We're such snobs!) but I 've had a small tank with these guys. Don't remember the name. As far as killies go, they're kinda plain. Silver scales etched in black, but when mating, their lower body turns a bright yellow. Anyway, they ARE killies.

 

[BigC]

Most likely a species of Fundulus
Local Killifish bodies affiliated to the AKA in the states run collection trips at their society meets, so yes you have many species of Killifish in North America.
Heres a link for you
http/www.aka.org/maka/
Regards
BigC

 

[fredgarvin]

Thanx Big. Our locals look like lucania parva.

 

[BigC]

Our locals look like lucania parva.

Hey fred
Cant say I'm familar with them, just had a look though to satisfy my curiousity, Seem like nice fish.
Most fanciers would keep the more colourful Lucania goodei (bluefin)
Still much nicer than our local fish (sticklebacks) Non Killi. though.
Regards
BigC

 

[fredgarvin]

Wow. I would think of keeping stickles just to watch 'em breed. Quite a show I hear.

 

[BigC]

Swap Ya!
Regards
BigC