Fundulopanchax (Aphyosemion) gardneri

Fundulopanchax (Aphyosemion) gardneri gardneri (even "Paraphyosemion gardneri"). My original pair were my first killifish. The fish was named by the famous French ichthyologist G.A. Boulenger in 1911 for its original collector, Capt. R.D. Gardner in the British Army, who found specimens in the Cross River, southeastern Nigeria. Modern populations of F. gardneri are restricted to Nigeria, with a single population of another sub-species just over the border in Cameroon.
 
There are several strains of "Gardneri" in captivity, showing considerable variations in color, with "yellow" forms and "blue" forms like mine, the "N'sukka" population. Detailed information on the original collection and modern range are in Tim Addis' brilliant website Killifish of Western Africa. Most American captive strains came in during the 1950s to 1970s. Deteriorating social conditions in their homeland have limited imports into the U.S.A. in the last quarter century. Deforestation and degradation of their habitat may have helped render some of the glorious sub-species extinct.
 
I kept mine at room temperature, ranging up to about 74°F in the cooler months, for longer lives. Summer temperatures in the tanks can get over 80°F around here, though, and I lost some half-grown "Gardneri" juveniles in jars I left on a sunny windowsill. How avoidable, eh. These are somewhat light-shy fishes, but very lively with each other in the shade of floating natural corkbark that trails a loose net of Java Moss. The male will reach 2¼ inches, the robust and guppylike female remaining a little smaller. I'm told that males would be quarrelsome, if I had more than one.
 
Some populations of gardneri are plant-spawners, some prefer to spawn in a peaty substrate, and some are willing to switch. Fishkeepers with harder water than mine, like those in Arizona, set the eggs into a layer of damp peat to avoid fungus and incubate them in the dark two or three weeks at room temperature. I'm finding that the clear golden and glossy tough fertile eggs of this particular species don't need the damp incubation period, that all I need to do is transfer the egg-laden Java Moss to a separate water jar with a layer of peat at the bottom, where pH holds about 6.2 to 6.4. This results in plenty of young after a week or so. In other words, the eggs don't even strictly require darkness, as long as they're kept away from direct sunlight. My spawning pair are so tolerant that young even turn up among the strands of Java Moss in the spawning jar. My first spawning, raised in very soft water with some peat water added and pH values around 6.2-6.6, at temperatures in the low 70s, all developed as females. Another batch, raised at varying pH levels, turned out all female too.
 
I had an idle sponge filter stashed in my gardneri tank, because I try never to keep sponge filters in dry storage. I came to remove it, and set it in a h.o.t. type plastic filterbox with just enough water to cover it. But when I'd made a thorough search, even removing the dense plantings in my killi tank, my precious pair were gone. Jumped! ...But no, two weeks later I noticed movement in the sponge filter. The two fish had taken refuge inside it and got transferred with it to the filter. They continued healthy and happy , spawning away once more. When Innes first described these fish for Exotic Aquarium Fishes, he found them "rare, delicate and difficult to breed." Since Innes' day, killi experts have improved our chances.
 
Links. Richard Atwood, "My experience with Fundulopanchax gardner N'sukka" is archived by the Oklahoma Aquarium Association.
 
 
Jim Atchison of High Prairie Farms has more detailed descriptions of care and breeding Fp. gardneri, how to deal with maturing the eggs, combatting fungus, etc 
 
Allan Semeit's brief but knowledgable article on Fp. gardneri morphs "Akure" and "N'sukka" is archived at the Arizona Rivulin Keepers website.