Edit Epiplatys sexfasciatus

You can suggest changes to this profile. A moderator will review each change.

Name

Scientific name

Epiplatys sexfasciatus

Described by

Authority Gill, Year 1862

Family

Nothobranchiidae

Common names

Six-barred Panchax

Photograph credits

All 7 credited

Summary

The six-barred panchax, Epiplatys sexfasciatus, is a killifish from coastal regions between Gabon and Ghana. Well established in the hobby …

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

70mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 80 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–27°C, pH 5–7

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Community-safe

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Amou, Barombi Mbo, Barombi-ma-Mbu, Consul, Cross, Kienké, Lisoni, Mboumboula, Mirupururu, Musola, New Calabar, Niger, Ogooué, Ologbo, Orashi, Otamiri, Oulé, Tchibanga, Timbabé, Volta

Writing

Etymology

Epiplatys: from the Greek epi, meaning 'above, on top of', and platys, meaning 'flat, broad', in reference to the flat dorsal surface of the anterior half of t…

Distribution

Distributed throughout coastal regions north and westwards from Gabon through Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Togo as far as Ghana although som…

Distributed throughout coastal regions north and westwards from Gabon through Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Togo as far as Ghana although some consider it restricted to northwestern Gabon and Equatorial Guinea with the remaining populations representing various subspecies (see 'Notes').

Type locality is 'Gaboon River', which presumably refers to one or more of the rivers entering what is now referred to as the Gabon Estuary in Gabon, western Africa.

When the collection locality is known aquarists tend to label the fish as such in order to avoid hybridisation and preserve bloodlines, e.g., Benin City, Bidou, Cap Estérias, Coco Beach, Elon, Ibadan, Kinguélé, Lambaréné, Ntoum, Djigbé, Cotonou, etc.

Editing needs JavaScript. This is the text as it was last saved.

Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

Paste the address of the page that says this. What counts as a source

DOI

Paste a DOI and we will look up the rest of the reference. A DOI looks like 10.11646/zootaxa.4694.4.1, and most papers print it on the first page.

Title

Enter the title of the paper, book or page. If you leave it empty, we will use the website's address.

Authors

Separate authors with semicolons, e.g. Tan, H.H.; Ng, P.K.L.

Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

Enter the page that says this, e.g. 218 or 218–221.

Anything worth adding

Describe what you saw, or which part of the source says this.

Habitat

This species mostly inhabits freshwater swamps and minor tributary streams but unsurprisingly given the extent of its range habitats vary considerably with som…

Aquarium size

Minimum base dimensions of 80 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent are recommended although smaller aquaria can be used for breeding purposes.

Maintenance

Perhaps looks best in a heavily-planted set-up or natural-style arrangement comprising a sandy substrate plus some driftwood roots and branches. The addition o…

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Probably a predator feeding on terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and other zooplankton in nature. In the aquarium it will accept dried foods of a suitable …

Behaviour and compatibility

Peaceful with other species and can make an excellent resident of the well-chosen community. Many similarly-sized characids, cyprinids, anabantoids, callicthyi…

Sexual dimorphism

Males are more colourful, possess more-extended fins and grow larger than females.

Reproduction

Relatively easy to breed and in a well-decorated, mature species set-up fry may begin to appear without further intervention. If the adults are being maintaine…

Notes

This species is well-established in the aquarium hobby with several forms available. Following the key of Romand (1992) it can be told apart from congeners by …

References

9 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References