Nothobranchius rachovii (Rachow's nothobranch)

Overview

Nothobranchius rachovii may be the most colorful killifish of all: males combine electric-blue scales edged in red, red-and-black patterned fins and a tail with an orange band and black edge. Females are smaller and brownish. It comes from seasonal pools on the plains of Mozambique that fill with the rains and dry out every year.

It's an annual killifish: in the wild, adults die when the pool dries up, and the species survives as eggs buried in the mud until the next rainy season. In the aquarium it typically lives only about a year, sometimes a bit longer. This is a fish for hobbyists interested in killies and breeding, not a decorative fish for a community tank.

Care and tank setup

The best setup is a 10-gallon (40 L) species tank for one male and two or three females, with soft lighting, hardy plants, some moss and an area of peat or coconut fiber on the bottom. It prefers soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water that's clean and calm; a sponge filter is enough.

• Males are very aggressive toward each other and chase females hard, so keep more females than males and provide cover.
• Always use a lid; it jumps.
• Water that's too warm shortens its life even more; 72-75 °F (22-24 °C) is usually ideal.

Mixing it with other fish isn't a good idea: it turns shy around active species and, in turn, may eat small shrimp and fry. Be realistic: this fish ages fast, loses color after 9-12 months and dies young even with perfect care. That isn't your fault; it's simply its biology.

Feeding

A voracious carnivore that grows very fast. It needs live or frozen food almost daily: mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, daphnia, clean blackworms or grindal worms. It rarely takes dry food well. Offer several small feedings a day and remove leftovers, which foul the water; in small tanks ammonia rises quickly.

Breeding

It's an annual substrate spawner: the pair dives into a layer of peat and lays the eggs there. To breed it, remove the peat after a few weeks, squeeze it until just damp and store it in a sealed bag at room temperature for about 3-6 months (diapause). When you rewet it with soft water, fry hatch within hours and take baby brine shrimp. It takes patience, but it's fascinating.

Compatible tank mates

Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the Nothobranchius rachovii (Rachow's nothobranch). Calculated from the data in each profile.

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What not to keep it with

Popular species you shouldn’t house with the Nothobranchius rachovii (Rachow's nothobranch), and why.

• Common goldfish: one may eat the other due to size
• Discus: incompatible temperatures
• Angelfish: one may eat the other due to size
• Clown loach: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
• Oscar: one may eat the other due to size, incompatible temperaments
• Amano shrimp: eats shrimp
• Cherry shrimp: eats shrimp

Recommended equipment

What you need to keep the Nothobranchius rachovii (Rachow's nothobranch) healthy, checked against Amazon stock.