Turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) care guide

Group

Freshwater fish

Other names

African turquoise killifish, Furzer's nothobranch

Family

Nothobranchiidae (African killifishes)

Origin

South-eastern Zimbabwe (pans in Gonarezhou National Park) and the Save River region into Mozambique, in temporary pools of semi-arid country with irregular rain.

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

6.5 cm

Temperature

23–30°C

pH

6.5–7

Care level

intermediate

Temperament

semi_aggressive

Lifespan

3–16 months years

Care

The turquoise killifish is famous as the shortest-lived vertebrate kept in captivity. In the wild it lives roughly 1–5 months, and in the aquarium about 3–16 months depending on the strain and conditions (FishBase quotes some fish living under 12 weeks). Because it ages so quickly it has become a major laboratory model for research on ageing. For the hobbyist that means a fish kept from eggs, generation after generation. Seriously Fish has no profile for this species, so the figures here come from FishBase and Wikipedia. Keep a pair, or one male with two or three females, in a species tank; Seriously Fish suggests a tank with a 45 × 30 cm base for related Nothobranchius, which is a sensible guide. Use gentle, air-driven filtration and a peat or soft substrate, add some plants for cover, and fit a tight lid. FishBase gives a temperature of 23–30 °C and pH 6.5–7.0. The sources give no hardness figure. Keep the water clean with regular partial changes; these fish grow, mature and breed in a matter of weeks and need a lot of food along the way. Note that the 6.5 cm figure from FishBase is total length, including the tail. Killifish are often passed around as named populations or strains; if yours came with a locality code or strain name, keep that population separate and label eggs with it. FishBase lists it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, while noting that wild populations are rare and threatened by habitat loss and insecticide spraying. Fish in the trade are hobby- or lab-bred. Sources: FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Nothobranchius-furzeri.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoisekillifish). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A small predator. In captivity it is fed mainly on bloodworm (Wikipedia notes work under way on pelleted diets), and other small live or frozen foods such as Daphnia and brine shrimp suit it well. Feed often: it grows extremely fast.

Breeding

An annual killifish that spawns into the bottom. In the wild, adults lay eggs in the mud before the pool dries; the embryos lie dormant (diapause) in the dry mud and hatch when the next rains come, and Wikipedia says eggs can stay dormant for a year or more. In the aquarium offer peat to spawn into, then store the damp peat. FishBase gives an incubation time of 5–7 months, though this varies a lot between eggs. Wet the peat with shallow water to hatch them. The fry grow at an astonishing rate: Wikipedia reports sexual maturity as early as 14 days after hatching, the fastest known for any vertebrate.

Compatibility and tank mates

Best in a species tank as a pair or one male with two or three females. Males are rough with rivals and pester females, so give females cover. Do not mix with other Nothobranchius, as the plain females are very hard to tell apart and hybrids are a risk.

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