Home / Fishes / Killifish and livebearers / Clown killi
No federal permit to keepClown killi
Epiplatys annulatus
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Nothobranchiidae (African killifish)
The clown killi (Epiplatys annulatus) or banded panchax, is a species of fish in the family Nothobranchiidae, an African rivuline, native to fresh water habitats in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in West Africa. This species was described as…
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.6 in / 4 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 18 × 12 in (roughly 11 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 68–79 °F, pH 4–7, 1–8 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Perhaps looks best in a heavily-planted set-up or natural-style arrangement comprising a sandy substrate plus some driftwood roots and branches.”
- Diet: “Probably a micropredator feeding on terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and other zooplankton in nature.”
- Tankmates: “Peaceful with other species but does not make an ideal community fish due to its small size and somewhat specialised requirements.”
- Breeding: “Relatively easy to breed and in a well-decorated, mature species set-up fry may begin to appear without further intervention.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
African killifish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: African killifish occupy permanent small streams and swamps as well as seasonal floodplain pools that dry out, where annual Nothobranchius survive as eggs. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For an Aphyosemion australe pair or trio, provide at least a 45 × 25 cm (18 × 10 in) footprint; a Nothobranchius rachovii pair needs at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in).
- Fit a tightly sealed cover: lyretails are accomplished jumpers.
- Provide floating vegetation to shade the water and plants or spawning mops; Epiplatys use surface vegetation for egg laying.
- Use gentle aeration or filtration; maintain clean water and separate breeding species and locality strains.
- Collect annual N. rachovii eggs in spawning medium for separate incubation; its profile specifies 5–7 months of storage before wetting.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 70–75°F |
Diet
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Chopped bloodworms and appropriately sized worms.
- Small insects for surface-feeding Epiplatys; tiny live foods for small fry.
Social life
- A. australe can be kept as a pair or trio with carefully selected peaceful companions; breeding tanks should hold one species and locality strain.
Health watch
- Velvet susceptibility in A. australe fry.
- Fungal loss of incubating eggs.
- Nutritional deficiencies from an unsuitable diet.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
The binomial consists of the generic name which is a compound of the Greek words ἐπί (epí) referring to 'above, on top of' and πλατύς (platýs) referring to 'flat, broad'.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Clown killi” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs in coastal swamps and shallow waters of the coastal areas. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–77 °F (23–25 °C), pH 6.5–7, hardness 5 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 94°F (up to 96°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 69°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 77–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 74–78% on average (driest month about 68%) |
| Rainfall | about 2952 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 8 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The clown killi (Epiplatys annulatus) or banded panchax, is a species of fish in the family Nothobranchiidae, an African rivuline, native to fresh water habitats in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in West Africa. This species was described as Haplochilus annulatus by George Albert Boulenger in 1915 with the type locality given as most likely to be Maka at the mouth of the Moa River in Sierra Leone. The binomial consists of the generic name which is a compound of the Greek words ἐπί referring to 'above, on top of' and πλατύς referring to 'flat, broad'. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Occurs in coastal swamps and shallow waters of the coastal areas. Not a seasonal killifish. Is very difficult to maintain in aquarium. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 12 in (about 11 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — aphyosemion australe Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — nothobranchius rachovii Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- American Killifish Association — The AKA Beginners Guide Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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