TankBud

Golden pheasant

Callopanchax occidentalis

Also known as Golden pheasant panchax, Golden pheasant killifish, Roloffia occidentalis

FreshwaterFish

Golden pheasant (Callopanchax occidentalis)
Andrew Bogott · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–75°F
20–24°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Egg burier · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Native to seasonal coastal swamps and pools in Sierra Leone, western Liberia, and probably southeastern Guinea.

Overview

The golden pheasant is an aggressive annual killifish for a species tank. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

Golden pheasant eggs need one of the longest rests of any aquarium killifish, sitting in barely damp peat before they are ready to hatch.

Caring for the golden pheasant

Keep a single pair of golden pheasants in a species tank of 14 gal (54 L) or more. Give them a dark, soft-bottomed setup with cover and a very secure lid.

Keep the water soft, at 68 to 75°F (20 to 24°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. A little salt is sometimes added. Feed meaty live and frozen foods such as earthworm, bloodworm, blackworm and brine shrimp.

The golden pheasant will bully or eat other fish, so any tank mates need great caution. Males are large and intensely colored in orange, red and blue, with dark fin edges.

It is an annual and a bottom spawner. Spawn a pair over a deep peat layer, where the eggs are buried and need a long incubation. Store the eggs damp for six to seven months, since hatching is best at about seven months. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The golden pheasant, Callopanchax occidentalis, is one of the larger, more aggressive West African killifish. It belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae and was formerly placed in the genus Roloffia.

In the wild

The golden pheasant lives in temporary swamps and pools in the coastal forest zone of West Africa, which dry out in the dry season. Its range covers Sierra Leone, western Liberia and probably southeastern Guinea.

Common questions

What size tank does a golden pheasant need?

A golden pheasant needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a golden pheasant need?

A golden pheasant is comfortable at 68–75°F (20–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

What does a golden pheasant eat?

A golden pheasant eats meaty live and frozen foods, such as earthworm, bloodworm, blackworm and brine shrimp. It will also eat other fish.

How big does a golden pheasant get?

An adult golden pheasant reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How can you tell a male golden pheasant from a female?

Males are large and intensely colored, in orange, red and blue with dark fin edges.

How does a golden pheasant breed?

A golden pheasant buries its eggs in the substrate, so spawn a pair over a deep layer of peat. Store them damp for six to seven months, and expect breeding to be hard.

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