All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Günther's Nothobranch

Nothobranchius guentheri

Also known as guenther's killifish, gunther's nothobranch, guentheri killifish, red guentheri, zanzibar killifish, nothobranchius guentheri, blue guentheri, nothos guentheri, ノソブランキウス・ギュンテリー, 琴龙鳉

This annual killifish is native to seasonal pools on Zanzibar. Males have a metallic blue-green body covered in a red net pattern and a red tail edged with yellow and black. Females are plain brownish grey. Keepers like it for its vivid colours, and it is one of the easiest Nothobranchius to maintain.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

20 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 1.5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Tanzania: Zanzibar (Unguja) island

Breeding

Pairs lay their eggs in peat on the bottom. The peat is then partly dried and stored for about two to four months, and the eggs hatch once it is soaked again. This is straightforward once you know the routine, and the fry grow very quickly.

Good to know

It lives only about a year, so you need to keep a supply of eggs to keep the line going. Males fight each other and nip at fish with long fins, so a species-only tank works best.