Villwock's Killifish

Villwock's killifish is a killifish endemic to Türkiye that lives in springs, spring-fed streams and wetlands in the upper basin of the Sakarya River. It was described as a separate species in 2003; it is named after the German biologist Wolfgang Villwock, who studied the Anatolian toothcarps. It used to be placed in the genus Aphanius and the family Cyprinodontidae; today it is listed in the genus Anatolichthys and the family Aphaniidae. Springs drying up due to groundwater extraction threaten its habitat: it should not 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.
• Hard, alkaline, well-oxygenated water; gentle flow is not a problem.
• No heater is needed; 20–24°C in summer, and cooling to 10–15°C in winter is natural.
• Dense plants, good lighting and a thin layer of algae; a tight lid.

Omnivorous. Frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms should be the staple; spirulina flakes and the algae in the aquarium complete the diet.

Males are territorial and chase each other. A layout divided by plants, where the females can hide, reduces tension. It lays its eggs on plants.

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 need soft water.