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Cape Lopez Lyretail
Aphyosemion australe
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Nothobranchiidae
📍 Gabon & Congo, West Africa
Elegant killifish with a lyretail caudal fin in shades of orange, red, and yellow. One of the gentlest killifish — works well in community tanks with small peaceful fish.
Care Guide
Diet
Cape Lopez Lyretails are carnivorous and require live or frozen foods as their primary diet. Offer small live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and mosquito larvae once daily in small portions. High-quality frozen foods and occasional small pellets can supplement, but live foods are essential for optimal coloration and health.
Behavior
These killifish are relatively peaceful for their family, making them suitable for community tanks with small, non-aggressive species. They are active mid-water swimmers that display territorial behavior during breeding but remain gentle toward similarly-sized tankmates. Males may chase females, so providing adequate space and plants for refuge is important.
Breeding
Breeding Cape Lopez Lyretails in captivity is moderately difficult but achievable with proper conditioning. Provide dense vegetation or spawning mops, slightly acidic water (pH 6.0-6.5), and temperatures around 24°C. Eggs hatch in 12-18 days, and fry require infusoria or liquid fry food before graduating to larger live foods.
Tank Mates
Similar size, water requirements, and peaceful temperament make them ideal companions
Small, peaceful fish that share similar water parameters and mid-water swimming zone
Small shrimp that occupy different ecological niches; avoid very young fry as they may be predated
Peaceful algae eaters that don't compete for food and help maintain tank cleanliness
Similar size and temperament; both prefer soft, acidic water conditions
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, flashing against objects, lethargy, loss of appetite
Raise temperature gradually to 28-29°C, perform daily 25% water changes, use aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon) or commercial ich treatment; maintain for 10-14 days
Fin Rot
Frayed or deteriorating fin edges, discoloration at fin margins, lethargy
Improve water quality with frequent water changes, reduce stress, use antibiotic medication if severe; ensure adequate filtration and remove decaying plant matter
Velvet Disease (Oodinium)
Fine golden or rust-colored dust on body, rapid gill movement, scratching behavior, lethargy
Increase aeration, raise temperature to 28-30°C, perform daily water changes, use copper-free velvet treatment; quarantine affected fish if possible
Bacterial Infection
Open sores, cloudy eyes, swollen belly, torn fins, loss of appetite
Improve water quality immediately, perform 50% water change, use broad-spectrum antibiotic medication; isolate severely affected fish to quarantine tank
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 5.5–7.0
- diet
- carnivore/live food
- maxSize
- 2 inches
- minTankSize
- 10 gallons
- temperature
- 70–75°F (21–24°C)
Temperature
70–75°F
21–24°C