Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Fish profile

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

They are bold, active, and predatory fish with a surprisingly peaceful demeanor towards species too large to swallow. Males exhibit fascinating, though aggressive, displaying behaviors when establishing dominance. A well-decorated tank minimizes stress and allows their natural personalities to shine.

Diet

Omnivore

They are voracious predators that require a diet rich in high-quality protein. Offer them large frozen foods such as bloodworms, mysis shrimp, and chopped earthworms. While they may eventually accept large pellets, live and frozen foods should remain their staple diet.

Adult size

14 cm

Sex ratio

Harem

Males are spectacular, highly colored, and fiercely territorial towards other males. It is best to maintain one male with a harem of at least three females to disperse his aggressive attention. Keeping multiple males is only viable in exceptionally large, heavily structured aquariums.

Feeding frequency

Twice daily

Adult specimens thrive when fed one or two substantial meals per day. Overfeeding should be avoided to maintain pristine water quality and prevent obesity. When preparing adults for breeding, the frequency of feeding live foods should be temporarily increased.

Bioload

Medium

As one of the largest killifish species, the Blue Gularis produces a moderately high bioload. They require excellent filtration to process the waste generated by their substantial meaty diet. Frequent large water changes are absolutely necessary to prevent the accumulation of toxic nitrogen compounds.

Flow

Stagnant

They originate from stagnant and slow-moving bodies of water in West Africa. Therefore, they greatly prefer very gentle water movement provided by air-driven sponge filters. Strong currents will quickly exhaust them and prevent them from engaging in natural breeding behaviors.

Reproduction

Oviparous

They are annual or semi-annual substrate spawners that bury their eggs deeply in peat moss. The peat containing the eggs must be removed, dried slightly, and incubated for several months. After the incubation period, adding cool water triggers the large fry to hatch rapidly.

Compatibility & tankmates

Due to their large size and predatory nature, they should only be kept with robust, similarly sized fish. They will eagerly consume smaller tetras, rasboras, and dwarf shrimp. They are often best housed in a dedicated species tank to fully appreciate their majestic presence.

Tank level

Middle/Bottom

They spend the majority of their time navigating the lower and middle regions of the aquarium. They appreciate a tank with a soft substrate and dense thickets of plants to retreat into. A dimly lit environment encourages them to actively explore their surroundings.