Foersch's notho
Nothobranchius foerschi
Also known as Foersch's killifish, Foersch's nothobranch
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 2.2 in
- 5.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Nothobranchiidae
- Origin
- Native to seasonal pools, swamps, and floodplain depressions in the lower Ruvu River area of eastern Tanzania, between Soga and the coast near Bagamoyo.
Overview
Keep a trio or a single pair in a 40 litre species tank at 22 to 26 C and soft, slightly acidic water around pH 6.0 to 7.0. Males are territorial, so limit it to one male unless the tank is large and broken up with plants. Feed live and frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, and blackworm. Nothos are prone to the skin parasite velvet, so keep the water clean and consider a little salt.
In the wild
It comes from shallow, seasonally flooded ground in the lowland Ruvu catchment that dries out for several months each year. Males have a green to blue body with red-brown scale edges forming a net pattern, a deep red tail base, and a yellow anal fin. Set up a dimly lit tank with fine dark substrate and a tight lid.
Good to know
Nothobranchius foerschi looks very similar to the more common Nothobranchius guentheri but lacks the red cheek spot that guentheri shows. It is an annual species whose eggs undergo diapause in the substrate during the dry season. It may be restricted to a fairly small part of the Ruvu floodplain.
Did you know
It is named in honour of Walter Foersch, a German killifish specialist who helped describe several African annual species.
Common questions
What size tank does a Foersch's notho need?
A Foersch's notho needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Foersch's notho need?
A Foersch's notho is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.
How big does a Foersch's notho get?
An adult Foersch's notho reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).
Related species
2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Kadlec's notho
Nothobranchius kadleci
2.4 in (6 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Turquoise killifish
Nothobranchius furzeri
2.4 in (6 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Palmqvist's notho
Nothobranchius palmqvisti
2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Kisaki nothobranch
Nothobranchius flammicomantis
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Patrizi's notho
Nothobranchius patrizii
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)21 gal (80 L)68–75°F (20–24°C)Bluefin notho
Nothobranchius rachovii
2.4 in (6 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)