Argentine pearlfish
Austrolebias bellottii
Also known as Argentine pearl killifish, Bellotti's pearlfish, Cynolebias bellottii
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 61–75°F
- 16–24°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.8 in
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 14 gal
- 54 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Rivulidae
- Origin
- Native to seasonal pools and marshes of the Rio de la Plata basin in Argentina and Uruguay.
Overview
This is a large, predatory annual reaching about 7 cm, so give a pair or trio a 54 litre or larger species tank at 16 to 24 C and pH 6.5 to 7.5. Males are aggressive toward each other and will eat small tankmates, so keep it alone. Feed meaty live and frozen foods such as blackworm, bloodworm, chopped earthworm, and brine shrimp. Spawn over a deep peat layer that the pair dive into.
In the wild
It lives in temporary pools and flooded grassland on the temperate South American pampas that dry up in summer. Males are deep bodied and dark blue-grey with rows of light pearly spots, and they are much larger and bolder than the plain females. Give it a dark, soft substrate, cooler conditions, and a well covered tank.
Good to know
Austrolebias bellottii is an annual killifish from a temperate climate, so it does best cooler than tropical species and can take a winter dip toward the high teens Celsius. Its eggs survive the dry season buried in mud through diapause. It was long known under the older genus name Cynolebias.
Did you know
Males dive straight into the soft bottom to spawn, pressing eggs into the mud where they wait out the dry season.
Common questions
What size tank does an Argentine pearlfish need?
An Argentine pearlfish needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Argentine pearlfish need?
An Argentine pearlfish is comfortable at 61–75°F (16–24°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
How big does an Argentine pearlfish get?
An adult Argentine pearlfish reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).
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