All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Blackspotted Nothobranch

Nothobranchius melanospilus

Also known as black spotted nothobranch, blackspotted killifish, melanospilus killi, nothobranchius melanospilus beforti, black-spotted notho, ノソブランキウス・メラノスピルス, 黑点假鳃鳉

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Males have bluish scales edged in red with scattered dark spots and reddish fins, while females are plain brownish grey with small dark spots. It is an annual killifish from seasonal pools in East African coastal lowlands, kept by killifish enthusiasts for the males' bright colours and its unusual life cycle.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

5.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

40 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

Coastal Tanzania and Kenya, including Zanzibar and Mafia islands

Breeding

An annual species that spawns in soft substrate such as peat, where the eggs survive a dry resting period. Collected peat is stored slightly damp for around three to five months before being rewetted to hatch the fry, which is straightforward once the routine is learned.

Good to know

Males are quarrelsome with one another, so give cover and avoid keeping several males in a small tank. Short natural lifespan means regular breeding is needed to maintain a line, and wild populations from different localities should not be mixed.