Argentine pearl killifish
Austrolebias nigripinnis
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 64–75°F
- 18–24°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.8 in
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 18 gal
- 70 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Egg burier · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Rivulidae
- Origin
- Argentina, Uruguay
Overview
The Argentine pearl killifish is an annual killifish for a quiet, cool, planted tank. It suits a keeper with some experience.
Did you know
Argentine pearl killifish complete their whole lives in seasonal pools that vanish each dry season. The parents die when the water goes, but their eggs rest in the dried mud through diapause and hatch when the rains return.
Caring for the Argentine pearl killifish
Keep one male Argentine pearl killifish with two or three females, in 18 gal (70 L) or more. Give the trio a quiet tank with plenty of planting and cover, and gentle filtration. Lay a deep layer of peat or fine substrate for spawning. The fish swim in the middle and lower water.
Recreate a soft, slightly acidic pool with tannin-stained water and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. This killifish prefers cool water at 64 to 75°F (18 to 24°C), well below the tropical killifish. Keep it in the lower part of that range if you can.
The Argentine pearl killifish is a keen predator that wants live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and brine shrimp. It usually ignores flake. It is peaceful, but choose any tank mates with caution.
Males are dark and pearl-spangled, and they court constantly. They can wear down a lone female, so extra females spread the attention. The adults bury their eggs in the soft bottom. Breeding is demanding, since it means managing the substrate, drying the eggs for the right period and then triggering a clean hatch.
Good to know
Austrolebias nigripinnis is a South American annual killifish in the family Rivulidae. Unlike the tropical killifish, it is a subtropical fish.
In the wild
The Argentine pearl killifish lives in temporary pools and flooded grassland across the lowlands of Argentina and Uruguay. These pools fill with the seasonal rains, warm and cool through the year, and then dry out completely.
Common questions
What size tank does an Argentine pearl killifish need?
An Argentine pearl killifish needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does an Argentine pearl killifish need?
An Argentine pearl killifish is comfortable at 64–75°F (18–24°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
What does an Argentine pearl killifish eat?
An Argentine pearl killifish is a keen predator that eats live and frozen foods, such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and brine shrimp. It usually ignores flake.
How big does an Argentine pearl killifish get?
An adult Argentine pearl killifish reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).
How can you tell a male Argentine pearl killifish from a female?
Males are dark and pearl-spangled, and they court constantly.
How does an Argentine pearl killifish breed?
Argentine pearl killifish bury their eggs in the soft bottom. Breeding them is demanding, since you must manage the substrate, dry the eggs for the right period and then trigger a clean hatch.
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