All fish / Aphaniidae

Arabian Killifish

Aphaniops dispar

Also known as arabian pupfish, arabian toothcarp, aphanius dispar, mother of sea, red sea killifish, dispar toothcarp, 阿拉伯秘鳉

A small, chunky pupfish whose males show silvery blue sides with pale vertical bars and a yellow edged tail, while females are plainer with dark bars. It tolerates an extraordinary range of salinity, from fresh water to seawater and hypersaline pools, which makes it a hardy choice for brackish and coastal biotope tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

18 to 30 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more with more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: algae, flakes, small live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworm

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts, Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan, northeast Africa and Levant

Breeding

Eggs are scattered among fine plants or mops over several weeks, hatching in about 10 to 14 days depending on temperature. Breeding is straightforward in captivity, and the fry take newly hatched brine shrimp from the start.

Good to know

Males can be territorial and quarrelsome, so give cover and keep extra females. Best kept in hard, alkaline or slightly salty water rather than soft fresh water, and the species has often been introduced for mosquito control.