No established common name (Fundulopanchax scheeli) (Fundulopanchax scheeli) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Emerald aphyosemion
Family
Nothobranchiidae (African killifishes)
Origin
Lower Cross River basin in south-eastern Nigeria, also recorded from the Ndian River in south-western Cameroon; small permanent streams and ponds in coastal rainforest.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
6 cm
Temperature
23–26°C
pH
6–7.5
Hardness
Soft to medium-hard, 3–15 dGH
Minimum tank
28 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
peaceful

Care

A small, very peaceful and shy killie, best kept by killifish enthusiasts in a species tank rather than a general community. A pair or trio fits a tank with a base of about 45 × 25 cm (around 28 litres). It was formerly called Aphyosemion scheeli and is named after the Danish killifish specialist Jørgen Scheel. Use a dark substrate (peat is ideal), dense planting, wood for shelter and floating plants to soften the light; filtering the water over peat helps. The lid must fit very tightly, as it jumps well. Keep it at about 23–26 °C with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (around 6–7.5). Males are more brightly coloured than females. The species comes only from permanent waters and is not an annual. It has a very small range threatened by farm chemicals and forest clearance, and FishBase and Wikipedia list it as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Aquarium stock is kept going by hobbyists, so buy captive-bred fish, keep track of the locality name it is sold under, and do not mix populations. Sources: Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/fundulopanchax-scheeli/); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Fundulopanchax-scheeli.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundulopanchaxscheeli). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Feed small live or frozen foods such as Daphnia and bloodworm as the main diet; it will also accept a good-quality flake.

Breeding

A non-annual species from permanent waters. None of our sources describes its breeding in detail. It is usually treated like other non-annual Fundulopanchax: eggs are laid among plants, moss or a spawning mop, collected and incubated in water or on damp peat, and the fry are raised on very small live foods. Seek advice from a killifish society or the breeder you buy from for exact incubation times.

Compatibility and tank mates

Very peaceful and shy, and easily out-competed by lively fish, so it is not recommended for the general community. If it must have company, choose small, calm species such as small characins, rasboras, dwarf cichlids, Corydoras, small loricariids or peaceful anabantoids.

Last updated 4 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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