Ogowe killifish

Aphyosemion ogoense

Also known as Ogooue killifish, Ogowe killi

FreshwaterFish

Ogowe killifish (Aphyosemion ogoense) — Andrew Bogott · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 64–73°F (18–23°C)
pH: 6.0–7.0
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Native to small forest streams and pools in the Ogooue River basin of central Gabon.
Family: Nothobranchiidae

Overview

Keep a pair or a harem in a planted 40 litre species tank at 18 to 23 C and soft, acidic water of pH 6.0 to 7.0; it does not like being kept too warm. It is peaceful and can share a quiet tank with other small, gentle fish. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, micro worm, grindal worm, and baby brine shrimp. Spawn on a wool mop and hatch the eggs in water.

In the wild

It lives in cool, shaded forest waters in the Ogooue drainage of Gabon, in small streams and pools under dense canopy. Males are colourful with red spotting and blue and yellow in the fins, and stay around 5 cm. A dimly lit, planted tank of about 40 litres with cooler water and a tight lid suits it.

Good to know

Aphyosemion ogoense is a non-annual forest killifish that can live two to three years and does not require a dry season. It comes from shaded, relatively cool streams, so it prefers temperatures on the lower side, around 18 to 23 C. Several distinct local forms and a subspecies are recognised.