Lam_wn's first killifish experience

[Lam_wn]

Hello,

I've always admired killifish for their beauty.
Recently, I got a 'magic fish' kit from Science centre gift shop (not exactly very sciency) just to try out hatching and rearing them from eggs.

here's a brief log of the experience:
wetted: 25/5/08, 0800hours

hatched: ~4 fry, not yet free-swimming, 25/5/08, 1900hours

Feed:
BBS, twice-thrice daily
1 drop of Liquifry No.1 daily, for 2 weeks

Water level raised + salt added daily, over course of 2 weeks
(thereafter,)
33% WC once every 3-4 days beginning 07/6/08, with small amt of salt added
steady consumption of tubifex starting 14/6/08

16/6/08 visible colouration in 1 of the 4 juveniles
steady consumption of frozen brine shrimp starting 18/6/08

22/6/08 Quite certain that the only colourful juvenile is male, whereas the other 3 are females






I wanted to wait until they were full grown adults before posting this, but unfortunately, today I found that the only (1 out of 4) male of the batch came down with dropsy!
I'm not really sure what was the cause, but its really sad to see him die off so quickly over the course of 1 day, with the medication i was trying failing.

Anyway, I need the following help:
1. Quick ID - I guessed from the start that it would be Nothobranchius rachovii. Is this a right ID?
2. I'm aware that LFS only sell males, which isnt too bad since I'm going to be having 3 females with no mates...When would be the right time to introduce new males to these young girls? And what ratio should i be looking for 1:1 male:female? or something like 1:2?

thanks

[Savant]

I think you can get pairs from C328

[FishSoup]

Hmm, actually i think your fish look more like Nothobranchius guentheri, what with the scarlet caudal fin and blue/red markings on the operculum

You can get Guenther's Nothobranch males from c328, they bring several specimens in occasionally. You should be glad you have 3 females, the females are usually the hardest to come by Make sure you get the correct fish though, the nothobranchs can look very similar if you don't look closely.

[Lam_wn]

Hi,
thanks for the ID!
yeah i think i'll get 1 or 2 (how many should i get?) males from 328 when the females are older - which reminds me, how old should they be before I introduce their male counterparts?
I'm also curious as to what causes dropsy? Are killifish really such fragile creatures or was it one off thing that a fish suddenly develops a disease like that within a day and dies? (morning 6am - loss of appetite. Night 9pm - dead)
thanks

[Quixotic]

steady consumption of tubifex starting 14/6/08

This could be the reason for dropsy.

In any case, these are annual killifish. So as implied, they generally live for no more than a year. They are sexually mature in around 2 months. You will need peat or similar substrate in your setup to spawn them.

Here's one of the methods on breeding them.
http://www.killies.com/Breeding1.htm