Spanish toothcarp

Valencia hispanica

Also known as Valencia toothcarp, Valencia killifish, Samaruc

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 54–79°F (12–26°C)
pH: 7.0–8.5
Adult size: 3 in (7.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Very rare
Origin: Endemic to coastal wetlands, lagoons, and springs of eastern Spain around Valencia and southern Catalonia.
Family: Valenciidae

Overview

Give a small group a well planted 75 litre or larger tank at 12 to 26 C and hard, neutral to alkaline water of pH 7.0 to 8.5, with a cooler rest in winter. Males can be territorial, so provide space and plant cover and keep it in a species tank. Feed live and frozen crustaceans and insect larvae such as daphnia, brine shrimp, and bloodworm. It is a short-lived multiple spawner that scatters small batches of eggs on plants through spring and summer.

In the wild

It lives in slow or still coastal wetlands with dense plants, including lagoons, marshes, and spring-fed pools, in a temperate climate. Both sexes are silvery with rows of shiny spots, and males show more colour in the fins. It needs cooler, harder, well planted water than most killifish and does better with a cool spell in winter.

Good to know

Valencia hispanica is a non-annual, temperate toothcarp and one of the only living members of its family, Valenciidae. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, hit hard by habitat loss and by introduced mosquitofish. Regional programmes have released captive-bred fish back into Spanish wetlands such as the Albufera lagoon.

Did you know

It is one of Europe's most endangered freshwater fish, and hobbyist and government breeding programmes are part of what is keeping it from going extinct.