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Encyclopedia / Oddballs & Predators / Lyretail killifish
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Lyretail killifish

Aphyosemion australe · Killifish, Lyretail killi, Cape lopez lyretail

Peaceful; jumps, so use a lid.

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6 cmBody length, without tail ✓
21–24 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7pH ✓
28 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Lyretail killifish only grows to 6 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (21–24 °C vs 26–30 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Lyretail killifish only grows to 6 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

221 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓1–10 dGH
Group size ✓3 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Top
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ✓3+ years
Size in shops 3–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful; jumps, so use a lid.

Food

Frozen and live foods.

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Male or female

Male Lyretail killifish
Male
Female Lyretail killifish
Female

Males are larger and more brightly coloured, with extended tips to the tail, dorsal and anal fins (lyre tail); females are smaller, plainer and rounder.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-depositor (plants) · Moderate

Spawns in fine-leaved plants such as java moss or in spawning mops; eggs are laid a few at a time every day.

Pairing

Pair or trio.

Setup

Small planted tank with mops.

What starts it

Warm water.

Eggs

About 10-20 eggs a day for around 2 weeks; they hatch in 10-20 days depending on temperature.

Raising the fry

Brine shrimp.

Common mistakes
  • Hard water
  • Too much light
  • Poor food
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionCoastal Gabon and western Congo
Rivers and lakesCoastal swamps near Cape Lopez and Ogooué
HabitatShallow, shaded swamps and streams
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the lyretail killifish

Killifish keepers often send eggs to each other by post, in water, wet peat or moss. Two colour forms are in the trade: the brown wild 'chocolate' and a man-made gold/orange form.

Arthur Rachow described the lyretail killifish in 1921. It is also called the Cape Lopez lyretail after its home in coastal Gabon. Its lyre-shaped tail and orange colours made it one of the best-known killifish.

First described by Arthur Rachow in 1921.

  • Males have lyre-shaped tails.
  • Its eggs stick to plants and hatch after about two weeks.
  • An orange 'gold' form is common in the hobby.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources