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Red-seam killifish

Aphyosemion calliurum

Also known as Banner lyretail

FreshwaterFish

Red-seam killifish (Aphyosemion calliurum)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.2 in
5.5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
Nigeria

Overview

The red-seam killifish is a small, peaceful killifish for a quiet, soft-water tank. It is an easy fish to keep.

Did you know

The red-seam killifish lives in permanent forest streams rather than the seasonal pools of annual killifish. Its eggs develop straight through in water and never need the long dry rest the annuals depend on.

Caring for the red-seam killifish

Keep red-seam killifish as a pair, or as one male with a few females. A tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more is ample for a small group. Give them a densely planted, gently filtered tank with leaf litter or peat and subdued lighting. They stay mostly in the middle water among plants.

Unlike the annual killifish, they need steady warmth rather than a cool season. Keep the water soft and on the acidic side, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed live and frozen foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms and blackworms, which they prefer to dried food.

Males show fine red edging on the fins and can spar mildly, so gentle planting and cover help. A pair lays eggs among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops over an extended period. The eggs hatch in water in around two weeks. The spawning is straightforward, but raising the small fry and staggered hatches takes some care, so breeding is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The red-seam killifish, Aphyosemion calliurum, is a non-annual member of the killifish family Nothobranchiidae.

In the wild

The red-seam killifish comes from the coastal rainforest of southern Nigeria and nearby West Africa. It lives there in small, shaded streams, pools and swampy margins. The water is soft, acidic and warm, stained brown with tannins and dimly lit under the canopy.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The red-seam killifish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. 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-seam killifish need?

A red-seam killifish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a red-seam killifish need?

A red-seam killifish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a red-seam killifish eat?

A red-seam killifish eats live and frozen foods, such as daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms and blackworms. It prefers these to dried food.

How big does a red-seam killifish get?

An adult red-seam killifish reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).

How can you tell a male red-seam killifish from a female?

Males show fine red edging on the fins.

How does a red-seam killifish breed?

A red-seam killifish pair lays eggs among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops over an extended period. The eggs hatch in water in about two weeks, and raising the staggered hatches of small fry takes some care.

Related species