Home / Fishes / Killifish and livebearers / Redspot panchax
No federal permit to keepRedspot panchax
Aphyosemion cognatum
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Nothobranchiidae (African killifish)
Care follows the african killifish guide below.
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 2.0 in / 5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–6.6.
- Hardness: 0–12 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
- Difficulty: Not enough data to rate (Seriously Fish rating).
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
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 and pools in the rainforest. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–75 °F (22–24 °C), pH 6.5–6.6, hardness 12 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, 72–75 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 64°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 76–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 77–81% on average (driest month about 71%) |
| Rainfall | about 1452 mm a year |
Measured at 21 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.
| 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 brooks, swamps and pools in the rainforest. Not a seasonal killifish. Is easy to maintain in the 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.
pH
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.
More african killifish
Aphyosemion bualanum
Aphyosemion bualanum
Aquarium hobby
Aphyosemion ogoense
Aphyosemion ogoense
Aquarium hobby
Blue lyretail
Fundulopanchax gardneri
Aquarium hobby
Bluefin notho
Nothobranchius rachovii
Aquarium hobby
Clown killi
Epiplatys annulatus
Aquarium hobby
Egger's killifish
Nothobranchius eggersi
Aquarium hobby