Striped Panchax

Aplocheilus lineatus is a large and striking top-dwelling killifish from South India and Sri Lanka. Males display golden horizontal stripes along a silvery body with iridescent scale sheen, and the species is known to be an efficient predator of mosquito larvae. Though hardy and adaptable, it is predatory enough to consume small tankmates, and its jumping ability makes a tight-fitting lid non-negotiable.

Water: 22–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.8, soft to hard; highly adaptable. Tank: 60 L+ tank with surface cover plants; extremely tight lid (exceptional jumper). Feeding: Live and frozen insects, Daphnia, Artemia; dried food accepted. Behaviour: Males territorial with rivals; predatory toward small tankmates. Compatibility: Keep with robust medium-sized fish; avoid anything smaller than 3 cm.