All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Eggers' Nothobranch

Nothobranchius eggersi

Also known as eggers nothobranch, eggersi killifish, nothobranchius eggersi blue, nothobranchius eggersi red, eggers killifish, eggersi, ノソブランキウス・エッゲルシー, 艾氏假鳃鳉

This small annual killifish comes from seasonal pools in Tanzania. Males come in two main colour forms, one mostly blue and one with red markings, and both have scale patterns that make them stand out in a small tank. Hobbyists keep it for the male's colour and its unusual life cycle.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

30 litres

Keep as

One male with two or three females

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

1 to 2 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Tanzania (Rufiji River basin)

Breeding

Pairs spawn into a peat substrate, and the eggs are then stored slightly damp for about two to four months before being wetted to hatch. It is not hard to breed if you are patient, but you have to manage the dry incubation stage carefully.

Good to know

Males fight each other, so keep only one male in a small tank. Its lifespan is short because it is an annual species, and it is best kept on its own in a species tank rather than with lively community fish.