Golden wonder killifish care
Aplocheilus lineatus · Streams, swamps and rice fields of India and Sri Lanka (the golden form is bred)
Golden wonder killifish are the bred golden form of the striped panchax, a 4-inch hunter of the surface.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 4 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 6 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep golden wonder killifish
Golden wonder killifish are the bred golden form of the striped panchax, a 4-inch hunter of the surface. One, or a pair, suits a covered 20 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 79 °F with fish too big to swallow; they take small fish and shrimp at the surface.
Diet: Carnivore: floating pellets, insects, frozen bloodworm. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Top of the tank.
Golden wonder killifish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Kribensis
4 in · 29+ gal · 75–80 °F
Kuhli loach
4 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Upside-down catfish
4 in · 29+ gal · 72–79 °F
Zebra loach
4 in · 29+ gal · 73–79 °F
Keyhole cichlid
4 in · 30+ gal · 72–80 °F
Butterfly goodeid
4 in · 30+ gal · 70–75 °F
DrawingClown pleco
3.5 in · 20+ gal · 73–82 °F
Five-banded barb
3.5 in · 29+ gal · 74–84 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a golden wonder killifish tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon golden wonder killifish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon golden wonder killifish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Golden wonder killifish need 72 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding golden wonder killifish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common golden wonder killifish problems
- Tetras the size of neons are food.
- They jump; keep a tight lid.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Aplocheilus lineatus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Golden wonder killifish Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kribensis André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kuhli loach Iidkk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Upside-down catfish John P. Friel Ph.D., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra loach Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Keyhole cichlid D.W., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Butterfly goodeid Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Five-banded barb NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Clown killifish Dornenwolf, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- American flagfish nat_t (iNaturalist), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lyretail killifish Alexander Prokoshev, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Gardneri killifish Tommy Kronkvist, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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