TankBud

Red-chinned panchax

Epiplatys dageti

Also known as Firemouth panchax, Redchin panchax killifish

FreshwaterFish

Red-chinned panchax (Epiplatys dageti)
Mattus1990 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–75°F
21–24°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Top
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg depositor · Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Coastal West Africa (Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia)

Overview

The red-chinned panchax is a small, mostly peaceful killifish that hovers just under the surface. It is a good first fish.

Did you know

The red-chinned panchax is named for the male's red chin. That color sits low on the head, where it shows best from the front. A view from above the tank shows it off far better than looking through the glass.

Caring for the red-chinned panchax

Keep red-chinned panchax in a group of six, with two or three females per male, since males squabble harmlessly over space. Give them a well-planted tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more, with floating cover, leaf litter and low light. Keep a tight lid on the tank, because these fish jump and will find any gap.

Run the water cool and soft, at 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Feed small floating foods, frozen daphnia and live treats.

The red-chinned panchax is a tiny surface predator that eats fry and dwarf shrimp, so avoid very small tank mates. Males carry a bright red throat and chin, which they flash during display and sparring. It is an egg layer that breeds readily, scattering eggs among fine-leaved plants and spawning mops.

Good to know

The red-chinned panchax is a killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. Unlike the annual killifish, it is not short-lived, and a healthy adult can live a few years. Most fish in the trade are tank-bred.

In the wild

Red-chinned panchax come from soft, slightly acidic waters along coastal West Africa, across Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia. They live in dim, sheltered pools and slow streams, shaded by overhanging plants and leaf litter.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The red-chinned panchax is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the top. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a red-chinned panchax need?

A red-chinned panchax needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the top.

What temperature and pH does a red-chinned panchax need?

A red-chinned panchax is comfortable at 70–75°F (21–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

What does a red-chinned panchax eat?

A red-chinned panchax eats small floating foods, frozen daphnia and live treats. It is a tiny surface predator, so it will also eat fry and dwarf shrimp.

How big does a red-chinned panchax get?

An adult red-chinned panchax reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

How can you tell a male red-chinned panchax from a female?

Males carry a bright red throat and chin, which they flash during display and sparring.

How does a red-chinned panchax breed?

The red-chinned panchax is an egg layer that breeds readily. It scatters its eggs among fine-leaved plants and spawning mops.

Related species