Lyretail Killifish
Aphyosemion australe
Nothobranchiidae
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About
The lyretail killifish is a 6 cm West African rivuline from the coastal forest streams around Cape Lopez in Gabon, kept in aquaria since 1913 and still the killifish most people meet first. The single most important fact about it is the one buyers most often get backwards: this is NOT an annual killifish. Seriously Fish states that it "normally inhabits permanent water bodies such as swamps and small streams, and is not an annual species", and FishBase flags it as "not a seasonal killifish". It is not programmed to die at the end of a season the way a Nothobranchius is, its eggs do not need a dry rest, and a fish that dies at ten months died of something you can find. Seriously Fish reports that over three years in captivity is not uncommon; Aquarium Glaser puts the expectation at 1-3 years, about the same as a similarly sized livebearer. It reaches the shops in several strains: the brown wild form sold as "chocolate", the orange-gold mutation bred by the Finnish aquarist Hjerssen in 1952, and a more recent albino. Males carry the lyre-shaped tail with white tips and long trailing dorsal and anal fins; females are smaller, round-finned and much plainer.
Care
One male to two or three females in a densely planted 45 cm tank with java moss or another fine-leaved plant for spawning, dim light, and almost no current. A tight lid is not optional - Maidenhead Aquatics calls them "accomplished jumpers". Soft, slightly acidic water (pH 5.5-7.0, GH up to 12) is best, though tank-bred stock copes with harder Lithuanian tap water; for eggs to hatch well, cut it with RO. The cooler end of the range, 21-24 °C, buys longevity - held permanently above 26 °C the fish ages fast. Choose calm tankmates that will not strip the food: pencilfish, corydoras, kuhli loaches, croaking or sparkling gouramis. Seriously Fish warns it is easily outcompeted by more vigorous fish.
Diet
Small insectivore. Live and frozen daphnia, bloodworm, mosquito larvae, cyclops and Artemia nauplii; tank-bred fish also take good-quality flake and micro-granules.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (163)
Possible with care (172)
Avoid (83)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternStrong · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Lyretail Killifish need?
- A Lyretail Killifish needs an aquarium of at least 45 litres (11.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Lyretail Killifish need?
- Lyretail Killifish does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–7 and a general hardness of 1–12 °dGH.
- Is the Lyretail Killifish suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Lyretail Killifish is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.