TankBud

Darge's killifish

Aphyosemion dargei

Also known as Dargei killi

FreshwaterFish

Darge's killifish (Aphyosemion dargei)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Mbam drainage, Cameroon

Overview

Darge's killifish is a small, quietly colored forest killi suited to a mature nano setup. It is a good next step after a first tank.

Did you know

Darge's killifish is named for Philippe Darge, a French entomologist known for his work on moths and butterflies. That means this little brook fish carries the name of an insect specialist.

Caring for the Darge's killifish

A pair or trio of Darge's killifish is comfortable in a tank of at least 11 gal (40 L). Give them a dim, densely planted tank with floating plants, a dark substrate, roots and leaf litter. Keep the flow gentle and the lid tight.

The water should be soft and acidic to neutral, at a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. A cool range of 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) suits a fish that never sees strong sun. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and micro bloodworm.

Keep a single pair or a trio of one male and two females. Darge's killifish is mostly peaceful and undemanding of company, and it occupies the middle water among plants. It does best on its own or with tiny, gentle tank mates that will not bully it or race it to the food.

Unlike the seasonal nothobranchs, it is a plant spawner, and its eggs develop in water rather than dry mud. They ripen slowly, which keeps breeding at a moderate level.

Good to know

Aphyosemion dargei is a non-annual member of the family Nothobranchiidae. Jean-Louis Amiet described the species in 1987, as part of his major study of Cameroon's Aphyosemion.

In the wild

Darge's killifish comes from shaded forest brooks in the Mbam drainage of central Cameroon. These are small, cool, soft waters running under a closed canopy.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Darge's killifish is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. 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

Common questions

What size tank does a Darge's killifish need?

A Darge's killifish needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Darge's killifish need?

A Darge's killifish is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a Darge's killifish eat?

A Darge's killifish eats small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and micro bloodworm.

How big does a Darge's killifish get?

An adult Darge's killifish reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does a Darge's killifish breed?

Darge's killifish is a plant spawner, and its eggs develop in water rather than dry mud. The eggs ripen slowly, which keeps breeding at a moderate level.

Related species