Fishes / Habitat
The Golden Wonder killifish is a selectively bred, iridescent gold and blue-green form of the striped panchax, Aplocheilus lineatus, a species genuinely native to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Wild-
The Golden Wonder killifish is a selectively bred, iridescent gold and blue-green form of the striped panchax, Aplocheilus lineatus, a species genuinely native to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Wild-type fish are a duller grey-green with dark stripes, and the golden colouring seen in the trade today is entirely the result of generations of selective breeding rather than a naturally occurring wild form. It reaches around eight to ten centimetres, larger than most other killifish.
Like the guppy, this is a species with a genuine working history in India beyond the aquarium hobby: it has long been used in paddy fields, ponds and slow water bodies across its native range as a natural predator of mosquito larvae, making it a second homegrown fish on this list with real public health credentials.
A group of four or more, kept with more females than males to reduce squabbling, does well in a tank of eighty litres or more, ideally long rather than tall, since this species spends most of its time near the surface. A tight-fitting lid is essential, since it is an enthusiastic jumper.
It is more sensitive to poor water quality than its hardy reputation might suggest, doing poorly in a biologically immature or unstable tank, and benefits from regular water changes and stable parameters.
A varied diet of good-quality flakes, pellets and live or frozen food such as bloodworm suits it well. It is a genuine predator with a surprisingly large mouth for its body size, and will eat any tankmate small enough to fit inside it.
Suitable tankmates are other medium to large, peaceful fish such as larger barbs, rainbowfish and corydoras, while small fish such as neon tetras, chili rasboras or shrimp are at real risk and should be avoided.
Article content © S Vejay Anand. All rights reserved.
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