TankBud

Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch

Nothobranchius fuscotaeniatus

Also known as Dusky-striped nothobranch, Fuscotaeniatus killi

FreshwaterFish

Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch (Nothobranchius fuscotaeniatus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg burier · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Rufiji delta hinterland, Tanzania

Overview

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is a seasonal killifish for the collector's species tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch breaks the color pattern of its genus. Most nothobranchs wear a mosaic of red and blue like stained glass. This one has a blue-green body crossed by dark bars and almost no red, an unusually sober dress.

Caring for the Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch

Keep the Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch as a pair, or as one male with two or three females. A group settles well in 11 gal (40 L) or more. Give it a warm, gently filtered tank over a soft peat or sand base, with planting and leaf cover to break the light.

Keep the water neutral to slightly hard and slightly alkaline, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Feed small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, mosquito larvae and brine shrimp.

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is mostly peaceful, but males spar and display. Keep a single male in a small tank, or add cover and extra females to spread his attention. Choose tank mates with caution, since a species tank is safest and only calm fish of a similar size should be considered.

It is a seasonal killifish that spawns into the substrate. Its eggs rest in damp peat for two to three months before they hatch, so breeding it is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch, Nothobranchius fuscotaeniatus, was described by Seegers in 1997. It belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae. Its name refers to the dark bars that both males and females carry.

In the wild

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is known from shaded seasonal pools in the Rufiji River drainage of eastern Tanzania. Its home lies in the hinterland of the Rufiji delta, where temporary waters appear with the rains and vanish in the dry season.

Common questions

What size tank does a Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch need?

A Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch need?

A Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch eat?

A Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch eats small live and frozen foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia, mosquito larvae and brine shrimp.

How big does a Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch get?

An adult Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How does a Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch breed?

The Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is a seasonal killifish that spawns into the substrate. Its eggs spend two to three months in damp peat before they hatch, and breeding it is moderately difficult.

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