All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Red-chinned panchax

Epiplatys dageti

Also known as red chin panchax, daget's panchax, firemouth panchax, epiplatys dageti monroviae, monrovia panchax, red-chinned killifish, banded panchax, red throat panchax, エピプラティス・ダゲティ, 红喉鳉

A slim, surface-dwelling killifish with a pike-like shape, a pale brown body crossed by several dark bars and, in males, a bright red or orange throat. It is hardy, long-lived for a killifish and easy to keep, which makes it a good starter species for planted tanks with floating plants.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Pair or small group of one male to two or three females

Diet

Carnivore: insects, live or frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and floating flake

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Coastal West Africa: Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana

Breeding

A non-annual species that lays eggs among fine-leaved or floating plants over several weeks, with eggs hatching in roughly 10 to 14 days. It breeds readily in captivity, though adults will eat eggs and fry so these are best moved to a separate tank.

Good to know

A capable jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential. It may eat very small fish or shrimp fry that come to the surface.