Path: utzoo!hoptoad!mejac!decwrl!labrea!agate!ig!uwmcsd1!grc!gary
From: gary@grc.UUCP (Gary Sutcliffe)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: killifish
Keywords: Egg laying tooth carps
Message-ID: <830@grc.UUCP>
Date: 9 May 88 22:54:27 GMT
References: <9194@reed.UUCP> <3893@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Reply-To: gary@grc.UUCP (Gary Sutcliffe)
Organization: GENROCO, Inc., Slinger, WI
Lines: 54

I will second Richard's suggestion of Aphyosemion gardneri (also known
as Fundulopanchax gardneri) as good fish for the killie beginner.  I got 
a couple pair of A. gardneri lafia (lafia is the variety, one of at least a 
dozen) last November and now have about 60.  I would have a lot more, but I 
stopped saving the eggs.  They are hardy, eat just about anything I give them, 
and easy to get to spawn.

The biggest problem with killies is finding them.  Pet shops rarely have
them, and when they do, the prices are usually high.  The reason is that
they are not easy to mass produce by the fish farms.  Most spawnings
produce 20-30 eggs/day over a period of a couple of weeks.  The fry to hatch 
first grow so fast that they are often able to eat their younger brothers and
sisters.

Sorting the fry, or hand picking eggs out of spawning mops requires too 
much manual labor for it to be profitable for fish farms that normally
toss a dozen fish in a pond and harvest 20000 fish a few months later.
Also some species require the eggs be dried out for several months before 
they will hatch.  Your best bet is to find others that raise killies
and beg or buy some from them.  

Because the eggs take such a long time to hatch (about 2 weeks for most
of the Aphyosemions, and up to 9 months for some South American annuals)
they can easily be sent by mail.  The American Killifish Assoc.  has
monthly listings of fish and eggs for sale by mail.  Also, the AKA has a 
special group to help beginners.  They provide fish good for beginners at 
reasonable prices.  I think they are currently providing A. gardneri.
I don't have the address for the AKA here, but can post it if there is any
interest.

Killies are really neat fish.  By and large, they are very colorful, easy
to breed, and do very well in small tanks.  A trio of most species (1 male, 
2 females) will do very well in a 2 1/2 gallon tank with a few plants or
spawning mops for cover.  

Just remember they can find the smallest opening in a cover and jump out. I 
put plastic wrap around the opening for the heater and air hose (killies like 
it cool, ~72F, but my basement gets down to 45F, so I use  heaters).

The best book I have found is _Success With Killifish_ by Ed Warner.  It is
sometimes found in pet shops, or you can order it from him for $4 postpaid.
His address is 507 John St., Rockford, Ill 61103.  It does not have as many
pretty color pictures as other books, but has lots of practical advice.

Final words of advice:  *MOST* killifish are not as picky about soft water
and live foods as Dr. Herb, et. al.  indicate in their  more general books 
on fish keeping.

Get some killies.  They are really neat fish.
-- 
Gary Sutcliffe  W9XT                             (414) 644-8700
GENROCO, Inc.  Slinger, Wis.
{ames, rutgers, harvard} uwvax!uwmcsd1!grc!gary
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