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Six-barred panchax

Epiplatys sexfasciatus

Also known as Six Barred Killi

FreshwaterFish

Six-barred panchax (Epiplatys sexfasciatus)
Alexander Prokoshev · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Top
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Nothobranchiidae
Origin
West/Central Africa (Ghana to Gabon)

Overview

The six-barred panchax is a mostly peaceful killifish that lives at the surface of a planted tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

Six-barred panchax spend almost all their time pressed up against the surface, watching for insects that land on the water. That habit makes them remarkable jumpers.

Caring for the six-barred panchax

Keep six-barred panchax in a group of six or more, in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). They are skittish in small numbers and gain confidence in a loose shoal rather than a tight school. Plant the tank densely, with floating plants for cover, driftwood, leaf litter and a dark or sand substrate.

They are surface fish, so the top of the tank matters most. A startled fish can launch straight out through the smallest gap. Fit a tight lid, and cover any opening for a filter pipe or heater cord.

They are standard tropical freshwater fish, not brackish ones. Keep the water warm and soft, on the acidic side, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Lower light brings out their best color, and over a dark substrate the bars along the body stand out far more.

Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm, and they take dry foods too. They are mostly peaceful toward tank mates of a similar size. As micro-predators, though, they will eat dwarf shrimp and small fry.

Mature males can squabble or turn territorial when breeding. Six-barred panchax are egg layers that scatter their eggs into fine-leaved plants, and the eggs incubate in the water rather than being buried. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The six-barred panchax is a West African killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. Adults usually reach about 8 to 9 cm. With good care they live a few years, which is long for a killifish.

In the wild

Six-barred panchax come from soft, slightly acidic waters across West and Central Africa, from Ghana to Gabon. They live in dim, tannin-stained pools and slow creeks shaded by forest, with leaf litter and overhanging plants near the surface.

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Tank mates

The six-barred 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 six-barred panchax need?

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

What temperature and pH does a six-barred panchax need?

A six-barred panchax is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

What does a six-barred panchax eat?

A six-barred panchax is a micro-predator that eats small live and frozen foods, such as daphnia and bloodworm. It takes dry foods too, and it will eat dwarf shrimp and small fry.

How big does a six-barred panchax get?

An adult six-barred panchax reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How does a six-barred panchax breed?

Six-barred panchax scatter their eggs into fine-leaved plants, where the eggs incubate in the water. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

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