TankBud

Blue gularis

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti

Also known as Blue gularis killifish

FreshwaterFish

Blue gularis (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti)
Tommy Kronkvist · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg burier · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Coastal lowlands of Nigeria and Cameroon (Niger Delta)

Overview

The blue gularis is an aggressive, bottom-dwelling killifish for a dim, planted tank. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

Blue gularis eggs can survive out of water. Pools that dry down would kill most fish, but the eggs sit in damp ground until rain returns. That is why hobbyists can mail them.

Caring for the blue gularis

A blue gularis needs a tank of at least 21 gal (80 L). Give it fine sand, plenty of driftwood and dense planting. Lower light and tannin-stained water suit it best. A tight lid is essential because it jumps.

Keep the water soft, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Some leaf litter or botanicals push the water soft and acidic. Feed meaty foods such as frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and small earthworms, and it will take the odd pellet.

Keep a single pair, or a trio of one male and two females, and only ever one male, since two males will fight. Blue gularis are aggressive, predatory bottom dwellers that will eat small fish and shrimp. Any tank mates must be peaceful and too large to fit in the mouth.

The blue gularis is a bottom spawner. Its eggs can be water incubated, or stored in damp peat for a few weeks before hatching. Once the peat is wet again, a batch of fry hatches out within hours. Breeding it takes a little experience.

Good to know

The blue gularis, Fundulopanchax sjoestedti, is a large killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. Most fish in the trade are bred by hobbyists, and a healthy adult lives a couple of years.

In the wild

Blue gularis come from the coastal lowlands of Nigeria and Cameroon, in and around the Niger Delta. They live in soft, acidic blackwater pools and slow forest streams stained brown with tannins.

Common questions

What size tank does a blue gularis need?

A blue gularis needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a blue gularis need?

A blue gularis is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a blue gularis eat?

A blue gularis is a predator and will eat small fish and shrimp. Feed it meaty foods such as frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and small earthworms, plus the odd pellet.

How big does a blue gularis get?

An adult blue gularis reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

How does a blue gularis breed?

A blue gularis is a bottom spawner. Its eggs can be water incubated, or stored in damp peat for a few weeks. Once the peat is wet again, the fry hatch within hours.

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