Florida Flagfish

Scientific Name: Jordanella floridae

Synonyms: None

Common Name(s): Florida flagfish

Origin: Florida peninsula, U.S.A.

Family: Cyprinodontidae

Species Type: killifish

Maximum Size: 2.5 in/6 cm

Life Span: 3-4 years

Natural Habitat: heavily vegetated ponds and lake shores, streams, coastal marshes. Fresh and brackish water.

Diet: crustaceans, worms, algae, delicate plants, flake food. Not a fussy eater.

Temperature: 67°-74° F (19°-23° C)

pH: 6.8-8.0

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons

Tank Region: all

Temperament: May be aggressive with smaller tankmates. Aggressive with conspecifics. Suggested one male per tank with two to three females.

Possible Tank Mates: similarly-sized livebearers, corydoras and small catfish, tetras.

Filtration and Setup : No special filtration needs. Accepts a wide range of water conditions, but does best in hard to brackish water.

Coloration: Background olive. Striped lengthwise with dark orange to red stripes alternating with iridescent light blue to blue-green stripes. Coloration often less bold on females. Both genders have a black spot on the side, mid-body, below the front edge of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin of the male is striped, striping often less distinct on females. Females have a black spot on the lower, rear edge of the dorsal fin, absent in males. Anal fin red or orange. Non-dominant adults and juveniles may show vertical banding.

Breeding: Pairs form a temporary bond during spawning, easily reformed after fry are grown/removed and parents are reunited. A 5-10 gallon tank is sufficient, with 5-6" of water, 1-2 teaspoons of salt per gallon and a temp of 75-78°. Fine gravel substrate, plenty of plants (plastic or live). The male may become aggressive; if necessary separate the male and female with a divider for several days. The eggs are laid in a small depression in the gravel and fanned by the male until hatching (6-9 days) and for a day or two after hatching. Remove the female when the male starts chasing her away from the spawn. Remove the male when the fry are free-swimming and foraging on their own, 2-4 days after hatching. Fry require small food initially: newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms and very finely powdered, high-quality dry food. Infusoria is an excellent initial food if a culture is available. As they grow, the fry are cannibalistic toward smaller brethren. Algae in the tank improves both growth and survival rate.

The previous spawning method is most often exhibited in an aquarium. However, flagfish may also spawn in a more killifish-like manner, spreading eggs in plants. This spawning method is usually utilized in taller tanks. If the female thins and the male does not seem to be guarding spawn, check the plants for eggs, especially near the top of the tank. These alternate breeding behaviors are also exhibited in the wild and appear to be adaptive to habitat conditions in order to provide the greatest chance of survival for the fry. Survival rate in an aquarium seems to be conneceted to the ability of the fry to surface and fill the swim bladder (thus the hi-lo variability in spawning methods).



Photo courtesy of 1nevrkwitz