Aphyosemion australe schwartzflosse

      Quite a few fish keepers in the Keystone Killie Group maintain  Aphyosemion australe schwartzflosse.  This australe differs from the orange australe by being darker, and having black in the fins as the german word schwartzflosse implies.  Although it is supposed to be one of the easier killies to breed, I can not prove that premise.  I recently had three pair of adult fish, then lost one female.  I just moved the surviving male to a 15 gallon tank with a non productive pair, and the new male is showing lots of interest in the female.

New addition, December 7th,  2012

Note the black lines in the fins

       Before the one female died from the two younger pairs, I was getting some eggs.  This morning I moved seven babies from their little index card file box to a 2 and 1/2 gallon tank.  Maybe the new reverse trio will start to show some babies in the natural tank set up.

Baby australe moved December 7th,  2016

       December 7, 2012:  Female from young mated pair dead.  Male moved to 15 gallon to form reverse trio.  The five gallon breeder tank was used for juvenile dageti.

       December 20, 2012:  Noticed maybe six australe babies in with the dageti.  Obviously from egg hatch after both parents were removed.

       January 2, 2013:  Moved male from breeding set up to 15 gallon tank with the original female and one or two other males.  Female noticed to be dead 12/31/12.  Maybe will get babies to show up.  Now have reverse quad in the 15 gallon tank.  No babies observed to date.


       March 6, 2014: Finally found three fry in with parents in planted 15 gallon tank.  The mother was the only surviving baby in the tank with the father, and he allowed her to grow over the last few months.  She is my last surviving female of this species, so I am delighted to see the babies this morning.  Should try to net some out to rear them in a different tank. 

       May 2, 2016:  Lone remaining pair in 20 gallon long have produced only four nice boys.  Two have been raised in separate jars.  Took the female and one the the young males from the twenty, and put that pair in breeder Box A with java moss.  Figure the young male will be a little less aggressive with the female.  Left the larger male and second young male in the twenty long.  Will try to feed the breeder pair heavily with daphnia.

      May 11,2016:  Found first egg in Box A!  Removed to 3X5 filebox with hair algae to hatch.