All fish / Aplocheilidae

Dwarf Panchax

Aplocheilus parvus

Also known as dwarf panchax, dwarf killifish, green panchax, small panchax, aplocheilus parvus, 小蓝眼灯

A small, slim surface-dwelling killifish with a flat back, an upturned mouth and greenish-olive flanks dotted with rows of shiny spots, plus a bright reflective spot on top of the head. It is kept as a hardy, undemanding fish for planted tanks, where it hangs just below the surface watching for insects.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

A pair or a male with two or three females

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, daphnia and bloodworm, plus floating flakes

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern India and Sri Lanka

Breeding

It is a non-annual egg scatterer that lays a few eggs each day among fine-leaved or floating plants or spawning mops. Eggs hatch in about two weeks and the fry take infusoria and then baby brine shrimp, so breeding is fairly easy if the eggs are moved away from the adults.

Good to know

It is a skilled jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is needed. It will eat very small fish and shrimp and is often confused with the larger Aplocheilus blockii and Aplocheilus lineatus.