Striped panchax

Care at a glance

Overview

The striped panchax is a large surface predator from South Asia, hardy and easy to keep but not safe with small tankmates, which it will hunt and eat. Keep it in a loose group with fish of similar size, and choose companions carefully. It holds near the top of the tank, watching for prey, so a tight lid is essential. Feed meaty live and frozen foods such as insects, bloodworms, blackworms and prawn, along with floating pellets. Given its length and surface habits, a tank of 115 liters or larger with a good footprint and secure cover suits it well.

In the wild

Aplocheilus lineatus is native to India and Sri Lanka, where it lives in slow streams, ponds, ditches, paddy fields and other still or gently moving fresh waters, usually right at the surface. To suit it, give a well planted tank with plenty of floating cover and open surface space, gentle flow and warm water from about 22 to 25 C. A pH from roughly 6 to 7.5 fits its range. Because it is a strong jumper and a surface hunter, a snug lid with no gaps is one of the most important parts of the setup.

Good to know

The striped panchax belongs to the killifish family Aplocheilidae and is one of the larger members, reaching about 10 to 11 cm. Its flattened head, upturned mouth and top-set eyes are built for hunting at the surface. It is a non-annual, plant-spawning killifish: the female lays buoyant eggs among fine-leaved and floating plants over many days, and the eggs hatch in around two weeks. Consistent breeding is rated hard mainly because the fry hatch in dribs over a long period and need careful, staggered rearing.

Did you know

The striped panchax hangs just under the surface with its upturned mouth and top-set eyes trained upward, ready to snatch insects that land on the water or fry that stray too close. The gold form is sold in the hobby as the golden wonder killifish.

Related species

• 

  Blue panchax

  Aplocheilus panchax

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Green panchax

  Aplocheilus blockii

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Playfair's panchax

  Pachypanchax playfairii

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• 

  African butterflyfish

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• 

  Wrestling halfbeak

  Dermogenys pusilla

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• 

  Zebra acara

  Nannacara adoketa

  4.7 in (12 cm)25 gal (95 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)