TankBud

Gunther's nothobranch

Nothobranchius guentheri

Also known as Redtail notho, Guenther's Killi

FreshwaterFish

Gunther's nothobranch (Nothobranchius guentheri)
Jokuyken15 · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–77°F
22–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2.4 in
6 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
Common
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Coastal Tanzania and Zanzibar

Overview

Gunther's nothobranch is a mostly peaceful annual killifish for a dim, planted tank. It takes a little experience to keep.

Did you know

Gunther's nothobranch eggs survive the dry season packed in damp peat. They pause partway through development and stay that way until the water returns.

Caring for the Gunther's nothobranch

Keep Gunther's nothobranch in a tank of 11 gal (40 L) or larger. A dim, planted setup with a soft substrate they can spawn into keeps them settled. Use soft, gentle filtration that does not push the water around, and fit a tight lid, since these fish jump.

Hold the water at 72 to 77°F (22 to 25°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Keep it clean with regular water changes, because dirty, acidic water brings on velvet. Feed frozen and live foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia, which suit them better than dry flakes.

The male can push hard during spawning, so run one male with several females. That spreads his attention rather than fixing it on a single fish.

Gunther's nothobranch is an annual that spawns into a soft substrate. Store the spawned substrate damp for weeks or months, then wet it to set off a hatch. Breeding it is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

Gunther's nothobranch, Nothobranchius guentheri, belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae. Its life is naturally short, roughly nine to eighteen months, so a population is carried by breeding rather than by long-lived fish.

In the wild

Gunther's nothobranch comes from seasonal pools and swampy ground along coastal Tanzania and Zanzibar. This shallow water fills with the rains and dries out later in the year.

Common questions

What size tank does a Gunther's nothobranch need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Gunther's nothobranch need?

A Gunther's nothobranch is comfortable at 72–77°F (22–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a Gunther's nothobranch eat?

A Gunther's nothobranch eats frozen and live foods, such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia. These suit it better than dry flakes.

How big does a Gunther's nothobranch get?

An adult Gunther's nothobranch reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

How does a Gunther's nothobranch breed?

Gunther's nothobranch spawns into a soft substrate, which you then store damp for weeks or months. Wetting it triggers the hatch, and breeding is moderately difficult.

Related species