Microworms
In stockPanagrellus redivivus
The go-to first food for betta, gourami, tetra and cory fry
Size±1–3 mm
Culture mediumOats / instant porridge paste
Temperature18–27 °C (room temperature)
DifficultyVery easy
R50 · 15 ml starter culture
Fry feeding guide
Best live food for killifish fry
Killifish fry are born further along than most — many hatch able to take microworms within hours — but they grow at wildly uneven rates, and the fry tank’s real management problem is that last week’s fry eats this week’s. Live food in constant supply is both the growth engine and the peace treaty.
Photo: Andrew Bogott, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The feeding plan
| Stage | Feed this | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Hatch day | Microworms (vinegar eels for the smallest species) | Most killifish fry (Nothobranchius especially) hatch hunting; tiny Aphyosemion and lamp-eye fry start safer on eels |
| Weeks 1–3 | Microworms + newborn daphnia / moina | Introduce baby moina early — the fry that graduate first grow explosively, which is your cue to grade |
| Weeks 3–6 | Adult moina + young grindal worms | Meaty growth food as juveniles sex out; keep daphnia running constantly so smaller siblings always find a size that fits |
| Young adults | Join the adult killifish plan | Daphnia and grindal in rotation conditions the next generation of spawners |
Practical tips
- Grade by size weekly. One grading session saves more fry than any food upgrade — big fry are the main predator in the tank.
- Keep food present, not scheduled: a fry tank with moina always swimming grows even batches and cuts hunting of siblings.
- Hatch over a shallow tray and move fry to deeper water gradually; killifish fry are surface-oriented at first.
Watch out: Velvet and water quality, not food, are the usual killifish fry killers after week two — live food tempts overfeeding, so siphon the floor daily and change water little and often.
Common questions
What do killifish fry eat?
Microworms from hatch for most species (vinegar eels first for the tiniest), newborn daphnia (moina) from week 1–2, then adult moina and young grindal worms. Keep a size of food available for every size of fry.
Why are my killifish fry disappearing?
Usually their siblings. Killifish grow at very uneven rates and big fry eat small fry. Grade by size weekly and keep live daphnia in the tank constantly so hunting is aimed at food, not brothers.
Start these cultures
In stock in the Western Cape, dispatched Monday to Wednesday, door-to-door across South Africa.
Vinegar Eels
In stockTurbatrix aceti
The tiniest first food — cultured on oats, despite the name
Size±0.3–2 mm
Culture mediumOats / instant porridge paste (like microworms)
Temperature18–27 °C (room temperature)
DifficultyVery easy
R50 · 15 ml starter culture
Daphnia (Moina)
In stockMoina sp.
The small “daphnia” that suits fry and small fish — and breeds fast in warm water
Size±0.4–1.5 mm (adults ±1–1.5 mm)
Temperature20–30 °C (fastest at 24–28 °C)
FoodGreen water, yeast, spirulina
DifficultyModerate — keep a backup culture
R50 · starter culture
Fry Starter Kit
In stockAll four fry cultures in one parcel
Every fry size covered, from first bite to grow-out, in one courier parcel
IncludesDaphnia (moina), microworms, banana worms, vinegar eels
Culture mediaWater tub (moina) + oats paste (worms & eels)
TemperatureRoom temperature (moina warmest, 20–30 °C)
DifficultyVery easy
R200 · 4-culture bundle
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