All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Blue Gularis

Fundulopanchax sjostedti

Also known as blue gularis killifish, golden pheasant gularis, sjostedti killifish, red gularis, fundulopanchax sjoestedti, aphyosemion sjoestedti, blue gularis killi, ブルーギュラリス, 蓝彩鳉, 蓝鳍彩鳉

This is one of the largest killifish. Males are heavily built, with blue-green bodies covered in red marks and a three-lobed tail that has orange-red outer rays, while females are much plainer brown. Keepers like it for its bright colours and bold character, and it lives for longer than most killifish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

One male with two or three females

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and earthworms, plus some quality pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Coastal swamps of the Niger Delta in Nigeria and western Cameroon

Breeding

It lays its eggs in soft substrate or peat. The eggs can sit damp for several weeks before being wetted, or they can be left in the water, where they take longer to hatch. Breeding is fairly easy with patience, and the fry are big enough to eat newly hatched brine shrimp straight away.

Good to know

Males fight with each other and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so do not keep it with small tetras or shrimp. Keep the tank tightly covered because it is a strong jumper.