Burdur Killifish

The Burdur killifish is a killifish endemic to the Lake Burdur basin in the Lake District of Türkiye. It used to be placed in the genus Aphanius and the pupfish family (Cyprinodontidae); today it is listed in the genus Anatolichthys and the family Aphaniidae. It has adapted to the salty, alkaline water of Lake Burdur; the marked shrinking of the lake in recent decades is narrowing the species' habitat. It must never be collected from the wild, should be obtained only from captive-bred lines and should not be released into the wild.

• A species tank of at least 60 liters for a group of 4–6.
• Very hard, alkaline water; it adapts well to the addition of 1–3 grams of salt per liter.
• No heater is needed; 22–26°C in summer, and cooling to 10–15°C in winter is natural.
• Salt-tolerant plants, good lighting and a thin layer of algae; a tight lid.

Omnivorous. Frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms should be given together with spirulina flakes. It also grazes the fine algae in the aquarium.

Males are territorial and chase each other; they are persistent towards females. A layout divided by plants reduces tension. It lays its eggs on plants; the eggs hatch in about 10–14 days.

Good companions: a group of its own species; a species tank is best.

Avoid: other toothcarp species and populations (hybridization), tropical community fish, species that cannot tolerate salt and hard water.