Blue gularis (Fundulopanchax sjostedti) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Golden pheasant, Golden pheasant gularis, Red aphyosemion
Family
Nothobranchiidae (African killifishes)
Origin
Niger delta region of southern and south-eastern Nigeria and south-western Cameroon (reported from Ghana), in swampy coastal rainforest and raffia swamps.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
12 cm
Temperature
23–26°C
pH
6–8
Hardness
Medium to hard, 5–20 dGH
Minimum tank
81 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
semi_aggressive

Care

The largest Fundulopanchax and one of the most striking killies, the blue gularis needs more room than most: a tank with a base of at least 90 × 30 cm (around 81 litres). Males are aggressive towards each other, so keep one male with two or three females unless the tank is large enough for males to stay apart. Give it a dark substrate (peat is ideal), dense planting and wood for cover. It jumps very well, so the lid must fit tightly. Keep the water at about 23–26 °C. Unlike many killies it is happy in harder, neutral to alkaline water (pH 6–8, 5–20 dGH). The name is spelt both 'sjostedti' (FishBase, Wikipedia) and 'sjoestedti' (Seriously Fish); it honours the Swedish naturalist Yngve Sjöstedt. It used to be placed in Aphyosemion. Males are larger and very colourful, with extended fins, while females are smaller, plainer and rounder. Forms are sold under names such as 'Golden Pheasant' and 'Dwarf Red'; keep each form or locality separate. It lives in a small area and its swamps are under pressure; both FishBase and Wikipedia list it as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, so captive-bred fish are the better choice. Sources: Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/fundulopanchax-sjoestedti/); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Fundulopanchax-sjostedti.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundulopanchaxsjostedti). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A powerful predator of invertebrates and small fish. Base the diet on live or frozen foods such as Daphnia, bloodworm and similar; dried foods are taken now and then but should not be the staple.

Breeding

A substrate spawner whose eggs take a long time to develop. It lays its eggs in peat or a similar soft bottom; spawning conditions of about pH 6.5 (it will breed up to pH 8) and 23.5–25 °C work well. Eggs can be left in water, where they hatch after about 3 weeks, or the peat can be removed and kept just damp for 10–12 weeks before wetting to trigger hatching (FishBase gives incubation of about 2 months). The fry are large enough to take newly hatched brine shrimp or microworm straight away.

Compatibility and tank mates

Will eat any fish small enough to fit in its mouth, so keep it with fish of similar size or larger that are not aggressive: peaceful medium cichlids, characins, Corydoras and loricariids are suggested. Males fight each other, so one male per tank unless space is generous.

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

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