Valencia robertae

Nice male of Valencia robertae from Greek Pinios River

I keep the two broodstocks of this Greek species available in the hobby. One broodstock is based on fishes originally collected from lower Pinios River on Peloponnese and the second stock originates from the Mornos delta on the Greek mainland. The fishes from Pinios have been collected already in 1994 and the stock is kept by several killifish enthusiasts since. The fishes from the Mornos come from a Czech broodstock and are about as long in captivity. The population in Pinions seems to have strongly declined in its natural habitat and is very small now. It might even already have vanished. The Mornos population is relatively large in nature and is definitively the largest population of V. robertae. From the Pinios captive stock, I received 12 juveniles in late 2012. This was my first contact with this wonderful species. Already in the wintering facility, they turned out to be quite sensitive and I added double lights and salt. The Mornos fishes were received in late 2013. My V. robertae feed mostly on life food, in contrast to the Aphanius, which feed on fish flakes without problems. In summer, they inhabit 100x100x40 cm tanks in the outside facility and lots of Cyclops, Daphnia and Culex larvae are added whenever available. My Valencias do best in a very sunny place. They love sunshine and high water temperatures and if sparsely set, they grow very well. In late May, harvest of algae with many of the large eggs starts and the species spawns between May and late August. My stocks are quite productive and I harvest eggs only in early in May and June, to have larger juveniles for the wintering. My Valencia start spawning being one year old and I still have some of the original fishes which are now four years old. My Valencia do always very well during summer. In early December, all are moved in the wintering room where they are sensitive to skin parasites and I always give them salt (not in summer) and double light.