7 replies to this topic

[ShadetreeIchthyologist]

My least killifish seem to have stopped breading. Ive reduced my numbers for my 6 gal tank and have roughly a 1.5/1 female to male ratio of fish. Ive been feeding them multiple times a day with both live or frozen baby brine shrimp, nano fish food, and live vinegar eels. I can give tank parameters if needed but its a pretty neutral PH and moderate hard water. I do a 20-30% water change every 3-5 days. The tank is heavily planted. Anyone else have something similar happen?

[littlen]

How do you have 1/2 a fish?

Pump those numbers up! (Get more adults).  Sometimes 2 fish aren't compatible for one reason or another.  Do you have a HoB filter, or sponge?  If HoB, maybe they are getting sucked up.
 

[ShadetreeIchthyologist]

I have about 5 females and 3 males. I have a sponge filter.

[littlen]

That's a good ratio.  As you describe your tank setup, feeding/maintenance regiment --- all seems well.  Had they bred in the 6 gal. before, and have since stopped?  

[ShadetreeIchthyologist]

They have bred before. Usually the fry would get eaten due to the lack of cover. Now it’s well grown in and the population has been reduced but yet I don’t see any fry or signs of them eating fry like I use to

[littlen]

My follow-up 2c are that even though adult Least killifish are very peaceful, they have nothing better to do than breed and eat/hunt.  While it seems like you're offering lots of quality food, frequently, they are still successfully hunting down the fry.  Do you have the option to upgrade to a 10 gallon?  I get the appeal of having a nano-tank on the counter, but it seems like you've hit your carrying capacity for that size tank.

[ShadetreeIchthyologist]

At this time I can’t change to a larger tank. I’m thinking about getting a small breeder box and putting the males inside to give the females a break. The males seem to constantly harass the females even with the lopsided f/m ratio.

[littlen]

Understandable.  I would suspect that the females are responsible for more fry deaths being larger and having a higher demand for food...having to grow babies more often than not.  Cool fish though.  Hope your colony thrives in the future.