Fuscotaeniatus nothobranch

Nothobranchius fuscotaeniatus

Also known as Dusky-striped nothobranch, Fuscotaeniatus killi

FreshwaterFish

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: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rufiji delta hinterland, Tanzania
Family: Nothobranchiidae

Overview

The fuscotaeniatus nothobranch is a seasonal killifish for the collector, kept as a pair or as one male with two or three females. Males spar and display, so keep a single male per small tank or add cover and extra females to spread the attention. Choose tankmates with caution: a species tank is safest, and only calm, similar sized fish should be considered at all. It swims in the middle water. Feed small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, mosquito larvae, and brine shrimp. A group settles well in a tank of about 40 liters.

In the wild

This killifish is known from shaded seasonal pools in the Rufiji river drainage of eastern Tanzania, temporary waters that appear with the rains and vanish in the dry season. Recreate it with a warm, gently filtered tank over a soft peat or sand base, with planting and leaf cover to break the light. Keep the water in the neutral to slightly hard, slightly alkaline range, about pH 6.5–7.8 at 22–26 C.

Good to know

Nothobranchius fuscotaeniatus was described by Seegers in 1997 and belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae, reaching about 4 cm. It is a seasonal, substrate spawning killifish whose eggs rest in damp peat for two to three months before hatching, which keeps breeding at a moderate level. Its name refers to the dark bars carried by both the males and the females.

Did you know

Most nothobranchs wear a mosaic of red and blue like stained glass, but this one breaks the pattern with a blue-green body crossed by dark bars and almost no red at all, an unusually sober dress for the genus.