Home / Fishes / Killifish and livebearers / Blue lyretail
No federal permit to keepBlue lyretail
Fundulopanchax gardneri
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Nothobranchiidae (African killifish)
The blue lyretail (Fundulopanchax gardneri), also known as the Gardner's killi and formerly as the steel-blue aphyosemion, is a species of killifish.
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 2.6 in / 6.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.2.
- Hardness: 5–8 dGH.
- 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
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–79 °F, pH 6–7.5, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank; in a pair; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “The set-up need not be too complicated but be sure to cover the aquarium well since this species is a prodigious jumper.”
- Diet: “Primarily a micropredator feeding on small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and other zooplankton although algae and other plant material may also be taken.”
- Tankmates: “This is a robust killi that can be kept with other fishes but is not suitable for the general community.”
- Breeding: “The unpredictable nature of many of this species' natural habitats have resulted in it evolving what's often referred to as a 'switch' or 'semi-annual' breeding strategy whereby the eggs are able to withstand a period of drying but will also incubate and…”
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
It is endemic to freshwater habitats in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Blue lyretail” (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 brooks, swamps, polls and streams in the humid forested and highland savanna and rainforest. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–77 °F (22–25 °C), pH 6–7.2, hardness 5–8 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, 72–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 91°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 68°F (down to 57°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 73–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 65–78% on average (driest month about 59%) |
| Rainfall | about 1734 mm a year |
Measured at 22 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 blue lyretail (Fundulopanchax gardneri), also known as the Gardner's killi and formerly as the steel-blue aphyosemion, is a species of killifish. It is endemic to freshwater habitats in Nigeria and Cameroon. — 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 |
| Appearance and size | Blue lyretails are sexually dimorphic. The males are more colourful than the females and have wavy lines of red spots which run along its body. The outer margins of the dorsal, anal and caudal fins are tinted with yellow. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Occurs in brooks, swamps, polls and streams in the humid forested and highland savanna and rainforest. Not a seasonal killifish. Bottom spawner, 1 month incubation. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Fundulopanchax gardneri originally described in 1911 as Fundulus gardneri by George Albert Boulenger with the type locality given as Okwoga in the headwaters of Cross River, Nigeria. The type was collected by a Captain R.D. Gardner who is honoured in the specific name. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
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.
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Is African non-annual killifish Fundulopanchax gardneri (Teleostei; Cyprinodontiformes; Nothobranchiidae) true non-annual? Borisov V et al., Developmental dynamics: an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists 2024
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- 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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