# problem w/ shrimp and killifish



## doug737 (Jun 1, 2004)

i have a pair of A. lineatus "Golden wonder" killies and 7 c. japonica shrimp in my 15g. lately i have been noticing the shrimp less and less. they seem to hide more now.

i thought the killies would be a peaceful fish? i havent seen any violent behavior and the killies are fed twice daily frozen/ new life pellets. any advice on what is happening? should i add more plants? my tank is really full as is with a r. rotindifolia jungle and mounds of crypt wendtii and petchii in the foreground. could anyone suggest anything? thanks


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Golden Wonder killies will usually eat whatever they can fit in their large mouths in my experience. They can also get quite large I believe. I had to take mine back after they pretty much took over the tank!


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## rusticitas (Mar 10, 2004)

The Golden Wonders can eat anything up to 1/2 their size (the AZ Gardens web site will say that as well, as they apparently used to eat their F. gardneri's when kept together!). Many killies are very peaceful and shy, but I think the GW's just like to eat. 

I would suspect they probably try to fit the shrimp in their mouth occassionally and that's why they're hiding.

From the AZ Garden's description:


> DO NOT mix these with small tetras, small shrimp, or other small fishes as they will gulp them down in a second. We used to house some Gardneri killies with them until the Gardneri's mysteriously vanished! The Golden Wonder can suck down other fish 1/2 the size of themselves in 1 shot. Our Goldens co-exist very peacefully with our Singapore Shrimp. They are good eaters, thus fun to watch at feeding time.


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## doug737 (Jun 1, 2004)

yeah they are starting to take over the tank male is anyway. thanks for the info i didnt know that. theyre about two inches now man i will probably end up returning them even though they are so beautiful. haha i have a pair of 1"gardneri also glad i didnt keep them together.


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## rusticitas (Mar 10, 2004)

Can you separate them out into a different tank? Maybe just keep those from the shrimp. Other killies would probably be fine, I would think. I'm sure some of the larger ones (blue gulari's?) would probably try to eat the shrimp as well, but I think most killies are pretty small and not a problem. (Then again, I am *very* new to killies, so I am hardly an expert.)

I only have three pairs of killies (at the moment!) myself. Two of the pairs are kept in ~1gal "Kritter Keeper" type containers with just a big wad of Java Moss in each (Aphyosemion ogoense ..., and Aphyosemion elberti ...). The last pair (Fundulopanchax gardneri Misaje, I think) is in a 2.5g. The Aph's are still juveniles I think, so their small size is not a problem in such small containers. They're pretty cute, too, I must say. I think I'm starting to see why so many people get hooked on and keep killies exclusivley.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

I never trust a killifish. I made the mistake of adding a dwarf red gularis to my tank a few years back and lost almost an entire brood of juvenile (.75-1") swordtails. That species in particular turned out to be a vicious and persistent hunter.

I suspect many of them will indeed eat whatever is roughly the size of their mouths, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are going after your shrimp.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I really wish I would have spent the money and set up a tank for them instead of returning them. Now I have the bug to get some more but not the space


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## rusticitas (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm not entirely sure about keeping the Aplochelius lineatus, whether they like/need current or not. If not, an inexpensive 5.5-10gal tank with a nice wad of Java Moss would work nicely, even if only as temporary quarters until you set up a fully planted tank. Just keep it well covered! While I've not had any problems yet in my short keeping of (killie) fish, they are reported to be great "escape artists."

I almost got some from an LFS here in the Lehigh Valley, PA who had them there for awhile. Just did not have any tanks at the time for them. Ended up with the other pairs I have from very generous killie club members.

-Jason


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

If your Killifish start growing fast, they will eat your shrimps easily. They love them. 
Don't cry later. They love shrimp.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

I've seen males over 6 inches at one LFS. He had them stuck into some of his shipments. When I owned some, I would catch those fiery skipper butterflies and toss them in. They would buzz against the top and the killies would leap up and take them like a bass to the lure.

They will eat the shrimp no doubt!


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## doug737 (Jun 1, 2004)

wow thanks for all the replies. unfortunately the male jumped the tank and i found him on the floor still alive. i put him back in the tank and he got all his color back but his fins and gills were damaged. he didnt make it. i took the female back to the store as well and bought more amano shrimp.


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## victri (Mar 18, 2004)

I've witnessed some of my killies harrassing my shrimps. They might not eat them, but some killies like to wiggle through plants and that leaves little space for the shrimps to hide. Perhaps some of the shrimps died from the stress.


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