TankBud

Arabian toothcarp

Aphanius dispar

Also known as Arabian Killifish

FreshwaterFish

Arabian toothcarp (Aphanius dispar)
(c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
59–86°F
15–30°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Cyprinodontidae
Origin
Northeast Africa

Overview

The Arabian toothcarp is an active pupfish for the middle of a spacious tank, best kept in a group. It suits experienced keepers.

Did you know

The Arabian toothcarp can live in water ranging from pure freshwater to brine several times saltier than the ocean. That is one of the widest salinity tolerances known in any fish. Its toughness has seen it introduced to wetlands as a natural check on mosquito larvae.

Caring for the Arabian toothcarp

Keep Arabian toothcarps in a group, in a spacious tank of 30 gal (115 L) or larger. They are active shoaling fish that show their strongest color in numbers. Hardy plants, rockwork and steady, well oxygenated water suit them.

They tolerate a very wide temperature range, from 59 to 86°F (15 to 30°C). Keep them in fresh water with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Feed a varied diet of live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms. Add some algae and vegetable matter, since wild fish graze on both animal and plant material.

Arabian toothcarps are mostly peaceful, but males display to one another and can squabble. A larger group spreads out any aggression. Choose tank mates with caution.

Little is documented about breeding them in aquariums. Like their relatives, they are egg-scattering spawners that deposit eggs among fine plants rather than burying drought-proof eggs.

Good to know

Aphanius dispar is a small member of the pupfish family Cyprinodontidae, with silvery, faintly barred flanks. Its salt tolerance has made it a subject of physiology research.

In the wild

The Arabian toothcarp comes from coastal and inland waters around the Red Sea, the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast Africa. It lives in springs, streams, estuaries and salt marshes, where the temperature swings widely.

Common questions

What size tank does an Arabian toothcarp need?

An Arabian toothcarp needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Arabian toothcarp need?

An Arabian toothcarp is comfortable at 59–86°F (15–30°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does an Arabian toothcarp eat?

An Arabian toothcarp eats live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms. Give it some algae and vegetable matter too, since wild fish graze on both.

How big does an Arabian toothcarp get?

An adult Arabian toothcarp reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How does an Arabian toothcarp breed?

The Arabian toothcarp is an egg-scattering spawner like its relatives, depositing eggs among fine plants. Little is documented about breeding it in aquariums.

Related species