May I introduce this nice Killi-species to you? Austrolebias nigripinnis is one of the standard-species, which are kept in our hobby for more than 30 years. This is a really hardy species - almost ideal to start with, if one wants to give an annual species a try.
I got the eggs from a friend in the Netherlands, he sent me eggs - the two males on the picture are my second generation - it is a little to warm at my place, so the lifespan of this fish is not much more than 7-8 months. I was told, if you keep them cool at temperatures below 20°C - they can live for more than 18 months.
Breeding is fairly easy: I put a small box filled with coconut-fiber in the tank. They spawn at a very early stage - maybe with 2 months - they are not full grown, but they leave their first eggs.
I store the eggs about 4 month, I never had problems with belly-sliders, the fry grows fast.
Last generation died away very fast - at the actual generation I use 1 g sea-salt per liter water - as far as I can tell, this is very good - my fishes bite each other, they are quite agressive - so the salt is very useful to prevent the wounds from going worse.
At last a few things for all who want do try it with nigripinnis: use big tanks - 60x30x30 is just perfect - at this size you can keep serveral males and its very beautiful and interesting to watch this guys - give several spawning-boxes into the tank and you'll always have action with this fish.
Another thing is the food: don't fed to big amounts of food at once. I's a pity: the most beautiful and dominant males are in danger of eating too much - so they become belly-sliders, and you'll lose them for sure.
Use some plants in the tank with A. nigripinnis - smaller males and females can hide away. I use a wooden root with Anubias and Microsorum on it - so I can keep the tank tidy, I use no gravel for the bottom of the tank, only a few oak-leaves.
Change the water often - they like much oxygen in the water and they like it, when the pH is on a level above 7. You can put them into a tub in the garden during the summer-months. The cool temperatures and the sun and the food will help you to get gorgeous and big fish.
It's easy to watch them spawning - I tried to make pictures, but: that is not as easy as i thought.
Maybe later this year I can manage to get pictures of a spawning, for now I had to quit, it was not possible to get beautiful pictures.
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