Günther's splendid ground carp - Nothobranchius guentheri - single specimen

Nothobranchius guentheri, aka Günthers Prachtkärpfling or Günthers Prachtgrundkärpfling, reaches a total length of 3 to 5 cm. It belongs to the egg-laying tooth carps or killifishes from West Africa, more precisely from Zanzibar. There it lives in temporary pools and streams in the savannah. Several site varieties exist, which differ somewhat in color and patterning.

The male Nothobranchius guentheri are more colorful and also larger than the females. They have red spots, which condense to narrow stripes on the blue-metallic shimmering body towards the back and end in a red caudal fin with a black edge. The iris of the eyes is brilliant blue. The dorsal fin is red and turquoise striped with a white fringe. The pectoral fins are bright, and the pelvic fin is irregularly patterned red. Females, on the other hand, are somewhat more restrained brownish to bluish in coloration.

Males are very territorial and aggressive among themselves, and a strict hierarchy prevails in the group. A small group of two females and one male or of two trios in an appropriately well structured aquarium is possible as a breeding setup. A species aquarium is recommended, because killifishes are a bit more special in their requirements. They can hybridize with other Kilifish, so keeping them together with other species of egg-laying toothcarps should also be avoided. Also shrimps or crayfish are not suitable aquarium companions, the one would be eaten, the other can attack the killies themselves or their eggs.

An aquarium with an edge length of 60 cm or more is sufficient for two trios of Günther's Magnificent Ground Killifish. The substrate can be dark sand , but it is not necessary to have a substrate . Simple plants such as tied up java fern or anubias or nixweed that is simply left to float in the water work well. Most species like medium to hard water and a pH above 7. An addition of peat or a mixture of coconut fibers and peat or coconut fibers alone as spawning substrate to the substrate is useful if you also want to breed in this aquarium  in the permanent stock, another option is to transfer the fish specifically in the short stock to a breeding tank for spawning. Roots provide hiding places for the wonderfully beautiful Kilifish. A small addition of salt can prevent disease outbreaks. Since killifish have a high food requirement and a very active metabolism, good water hygiene with weekly large water changes is mandatory. Aquarium temperatures of 18 to 27 °C are recommended, 23-25 °C fits perfectly.

Nothobranchius guentheri are adhesive spawners. The females lay their hard-shelled eggs in the peat fibers. The eggs survive dry periods of up to half a year in nature. For breeding this should be taken into account, the dry period is also necessary here in the aquarium. The breeding aquarium for a trio should have from 30x20x20 cm and has as spawning substrate peat, coconut fiber or a mixture of these at the bottom. This spawning substrate is removed with a landing net after spawning and placed on newspaper. There it is allowed to dry until it has only a slight residual moisture - the breeder calls this tobacco moist. Then you keep the peat in a bag for 3-4 weeks so that it does not dry out further. The eggs develop visibly during this process. When the egg shell is completely filled by the embryo, the egg is ripe and the batch can be infused.

To infuse, place the spawning substrate with the eggs in a small aquarium and add a finger's width of stagnant water, which should also be medium-hard to hard and have a temperature of around 22 °C. The spawning substrate should be filled with water. After about a day, the fry are mostly hatched and swimming freely. They are then transferred to a larger rearing tank and raised with micro worms and Artemia euplii. The peat is dried and stored again - as above - and watered up again after four weeks.

Günthers Prachtkärpflinge are pure carnivores and need a high-quality and especially rich supply of good live food and frozen food, for example various white, red and black mosquito larvae of appropriate size or also pond food.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Cichfeed has a grain size of 1.5 mm and is therefore also suitable for larger fish. The NH Cichfeed is a soft granulate for predominantly carnivorous fish. It has the same consistency as small crustaceans and insect larvae that fish naturally eat, and the soft granules protect the fish mouth from micro-injuries that can result from hard feed granules.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend when keeping fish the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.