Clown killifish

Epiplatys annulatus

Also known as Banded Panchax

FreshwaterFish

Clown killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F; 20–26°C
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in; 3.5 cm
Minimum tank: 7 gal; 27 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Top
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity: Common
Family: Nothobranchiidae
Origin: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia

Overview

The clown killifish is a peaceful surface fish for a calm, planted tank. It takes a little more care than a beginner fish.

Did you know

The clown killifish's tail carries a blue and red pattern that gives it the nickname rocket killifish. The name comes from the way the fins flare out.

Caring for the clown killifish

Clown killifish need a tank of at least 7 gal (27 L). Give them a gently filtered, heavily planted tank with plenty of floating plants up top. Keep a tight lid on, since they jump. A dark substrate and tannin-stained water show off the bright tail best.

They want calm water on the cool to moderate side, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Their mouths are tiny, so feed small foods such as micro pellets, crushed flake, daphnia, baby brine shrimp and mosquito larvae.

Keep them in a small group, where they spend almost all their time near the surface. They are peaceful, so pair them only with other small, gentle fish, and a nano or species tank suits them best.

Clown killifish are egg layers that deposit their eggs among fine-leaved plants. The fry hatch after roughly ten to fourteen days, and breeding them suits a keeper with some experience.

Good to know

Epiplatys annulatus is in the family Nothobranchiidae and is one of the smallest killifish. Its striped body and tail markings make it easy to recognize.

In the wild

Clown killifish live in shallow, slow streams, swamps and forest pools in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The water there is soft and slightly acidic, shaded by overhanging plants, with little flow.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The clown killifish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the top. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator