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No federal permit to keepMediterranean killifish
Aphanius fasciatus
Fishes › Killifish and livebearers (Cyprinodontiformes) › Aphaniidae (Aphanius killifish)
The Mediterranean killifish, Mediterranean banded killifish or South European toothcarp (Aphanius fasciatus) is a species of fish in the family Aphaniidae.
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 2.7 in / 6.8 cm).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 50–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.5.
- Hardness: 8–10 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
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 47 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 36–86 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–30 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Even for long-term maintenance a simple set-up will suffice.”
- Diet: “Aphanius species are basically micropredators feeding on small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and other zooplankton although algae and other plant material is also taken at times.”
- Tankmates: “Its particular water requirements make A.”
- Breeding: “Captive reproduction is not difficult if the tank or container is properly arranged and maintained (see 'tank set-up').”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Aphanius killifish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These toothcarps occupy vegetated Mediterranean coastal lagoons and inland Anatolian springs, streams and lake margins with locality-dependent salinity (fasciatus, anatoliae). Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For fasciatus/anatoliae groups use a footprint of at least 120 × 30 cm; fasciatus pairs/trios can use 60 × 30 cm (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Fill substantial space with spawning mops or fine-leaved plants to break male sightlines (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Provide hard alkaline water: fasciatus pH 7.5–9.0, anatoliae 7.0–8.5; both 10–30 dGH (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Set salinity from collection locality, rather than treating every population as freshwater (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Use gentle filtration for anatoliae and preserve a seasonal cool winter period (anatoliae).
Diet
- Live or frozen Artemia and Daphnia (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Bloodworms (fasciatus, anatoliae).
- Spirulina-containing dried food and filamentous algae (fasciatus, anatoliae).
Social life
- Maintain species/locality breeding groups, with two or three females per male for anatoliae and refuges from dominant males (anatoliae).
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity from inadequate biofiltration (fish_health).
- Parasitic skin and gill infections (fish_health).
- Nutritional deficiencies from unsuitable diets (fish_health).
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is found in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey. Its natural habitats are saline lakes, saline marshes, and coastal saline lagoons.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Mediterranean killifish” (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 and brackish water and the sea, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs in coastal lagoons and in hypersaline to shallow still to slow-flowing fresh water, especially at river mouths. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water / marine, 50–75 °F (10–24 °C), pH 6.5–7.5, hardness 8–10 dH. |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Grazing on aquatic plants. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 50–75 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 85°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 41°F (down to 34°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 57–66°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 69–74% on average (driest month about 64%) |
| Rainfall | about 586 mm a year |
Measured at 77 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 | The Mediterranean killifish, Mediterranean banded killifish or South European toothcarp (Aphanius fasciatus) is a species of fish in the family Aphaniidae. It is found in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey. Its natural habitats are saline lakes, saline marshes, and coastal saline lagoons. — 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 | The Mediterranean killifish has an elongated body that is slightly flattened on the sides. Its head which is flattened on the top, has large eyes and an upper mouth that is covered with small, three-pointed teeth. There are 25 to 30 large scales in a longitudinal row on the body, and the head is also scaled. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Occurs in coastal lagoons and in hypersaline to shallow still to slow-flowing fresh water, especially at river mouths. A short-lived species which inhabits ponds, ditches and swamps. Feeds on invertebrates and plants. — 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.
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 47 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Quantitative ethogram of male reproductive behavior in the South European toothcarp Aphanius fasciatus Cavraro F et al., The Biological bulletin 2013
- Gyrodactylus salinae n. sp. (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) infecting the south European toothcarp Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes) (Teleostei, Cyprinodontidae) from a hypersaline environment in Italy Paladini G et al., Parasites & vectors 2011
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
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: Aphanius fasciatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Aphanius anatoliae 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.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of Aquarium 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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- 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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