All fish / Nothobranchiidae

Red-finned Nothobranch

Nothobranchius rubripinnis

Also known as redfin notho, red fin nothobranchius, nothobranchius rubripinnis, rubripinnis killifish, red-finned killifish, ノソブランキウス・ルブリピンニス, 红鳍假鳃鳉

A small annual killifish from temporary pools in Tanzania. Males have bluish scales edged in red with bright red fins, while females are plain brownish grey. Killifish hobbyists keep it for the vivid male colours and its unusual annual life cycle.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

4.5 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

Coastal Tanzania (Ruvu and Wami river drainages)

Breeding

Pairs spawn into a soft peat substrate, and the eggs are then stored in barely damp peat for around three to five months before being wetted to hatch. It is fairly straightforward for anyone used to annual killifish, though the long egg incubation needs patience.

Good to know

Males fight one another, so keep only one male per small tank unless space is generous. Its natural lifespan is short, so regular breeding is needed to keep a line going.