Nothobranchius eggersi
Orchid killifish ( Nothobranchius Eggersi ) ( males, blue color form)
The Orchid killifish ( Nothobranchius Eggersi ) is a Zahnkärpfling the genus Nothobranchius. It is named after one of its discoverers G. Eggers. The co-discoverer L. Seegers wrote the first description for this killifish.
Features
The males are 5 cm, females 4 cm long. The males are extremely colorful and therefore popular with aquarists specializing in spite of the very short lifetime. The coloration is very variable in this species. When the blue color form, the males have a bright blue color is greenish brown and then to the back. Numerous scales are dark red patterned, so that either a net-like or V -shaped pattern emerges. In the unpaired fins and often the ventral there are red patches of color. The edges of the dorsal and anal fin are wide bordered white and cream. In the color variant " redhead " the head is bright red. In the color variant "Red" the head is bright red, the red color pattern on the body is a little stronger and the entire tail fin and the outer regions of the anal and dorsal fins are dark red in color. There is also a "Solid Blue" cultivar with very little red-colored scales. The females are light brown solid color - silver.
Distribution and habitat
The species lives in eastern Tanzania in Africa in the area of the river Ruhoi. The home waters are usually unshaded, with soft muddy ground. The fish hold in pools and gullies on the temporary result of water so it is seasonal fish.
Reproduction and fighting dogs
The male impressed before the female and umschwimmt it. Is this ready to mate, so it follows to a spawning ground. For spawning, the female clings closely to the male and both burrow a few inches deep into the soil, there is spawned. In the wild, the habitat of Nothobranchius Eggersi dries out. The eggs remain moist but rest in the earth, there to develop the young fish. In the next rainy season they hatch then.
In the aquarium, you can spawn ( from unfertilized peat moss ) the fish in a 5 cm thick layer of peat. The peat is dried to residual moisture and then stored for 2 months in a plastic bag. It is important that the Torfansatz not moldy or verpilzt. After 2 months you are the peat in the breeding tank where the fry hatch after a few hours.