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No federal permit to keepLyretail panchax
Aphyosemion australe
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Nothobranchiidae (African killifish)
Aphyosemion australe, the lyretail panchax, golden panchax or Cape Lopez lyretail, is a species of freshwater fish belonging to the family Aplocheilidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.4 in / 6 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 70–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.
- Hardness: 5–12 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 18 × 10 in (roughly 7 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 70–90 °F, pH 5.5–7, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
- Difficulty: Beginner (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A dark substrate should ideally be used, and a layer of floating plants to diffuse the light entering the tank is also a good idea.”
- Diet: “Small live or frozen foods such as daphnia or bloodworm are preferred, although because most specimens available are tank bred it will also accept good quality flake in most cases.”
- Breeding: “Relatively easy, employing a spawning method known amongst hobbyists as egg 'hanging'.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
African killifish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: African killifish occupy permanent small streams and swamps as well as seasonal floodplain pools that dry out, where annual Nothobranchius survive as eggs. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For an Aphyosemion australe pair or trio, provide at least a 45 × 25 cm (18 × 10 in) footprint; a Nothobranchius rachovii pair needs at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in).
- Fit a tightly sealed cover: lyretails are accomplished jumpers.
- Provide floating vegetation to shade the water and plants or spawning mops; Epiplatys use surface vegetation for egg laying.
- Use gentle aeration or filtration; maintain clean water and separate breeding species and locality strains.
- Collect annual N. rachovii eggs in spawning medium for separate incubation; its profile specifies 5–7 months of storage before wetting.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 70–75°F |
Diet
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Chopped bloodworms and appropriately sized worms.
- Small insects for surface-feeding Epiplatys; tiny live foods for small fry.
Social life
- A. australe can be kept as a pair or trio with carefully selected peaceful companions; breeding tanks should hold one species and locality strain.
Health watch
- Velvet susceptibility in A. australe fry.
- Fungal loss of incubating eggs.
- Nutritional deficiencies from an unsuitable diet.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is found around Cape Lopez and in surrounding areas in Gabon.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Aphyosemion australe” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Uses both the bottom and open water. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 70–75 °F (21–24 °C), pH 6–7, hardness 5–12 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 70–75 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 88°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 66°F (down to 66°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 77–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 83–84% on average (driest month about 82%) |
| Rainfall | about 1330 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 28 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Aphyosemion australe, the lyretail panchax, golden panchax or Cape Lopez lyretail, is a species of freshwater fish belonging to the family Aplocheilidae. It is found around Cape Lopez and in surrounding areas in Gabon. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | A. australe comes in a two colours. The wild type are brown and called 'chocolate' in the aquarium hobby and a man made 'gold' form exists which is orange; this form was spontaneous mutation bred by a Finnish aquarist name Hjerssen in 1952. JJ Scheel in "Rivulins of the World (TFH PRess, 1970) pointed out these were not a separate species and deprecated the name Aphyosemion australe hjersseni. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects. Two color morphs, chocolate and gold, are in the aquarium trade. Not a seasonal killifish. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 10 in (about 7 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — aphyosemion australe Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — nothobranchius rachovii Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- American Killifish Association — The AKA Beginners Guide Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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