Overview
The Golden Striped Pike, widely known in the aquarium trade as the Golden Wonder Killifish, is a striking, captive-bred color morph of the wild Striped Panchax (Aplocheilus lineatus). The "eu nz" designation typically indicates European captive-bred stock (Nachzucht), ensuring a hardy, adaptable fish that is well-suited for home aquariums. Known for their predatory, pike-like appearance and brilliant golden hues, they are a favorite among aquarists looking for an active, surface-dwelling species.
Distribution and Habitat
While the wild Aplocheilus lineatus is native to the fresh and brackish waters of India and Sri Lanka, this specific golden morph is the result of selective line-breeding in the aquarium hobby. In the wild, their ancestors inhabit slow-moving streams, rivers, and swamps with dense overhanging vegetation, where they hunt insects at the water's surface. Captive-bred specimens retain this preference for heavily planted, calm waters.
Description of Golden Striped Pike
Body shape:
They possess an elongated, streamlined, and slightly flattened body that resembles a miniature pike. Their dorsal profile is remarkably straight, perfectly adapted for cruising just below the water's surface.
Color:
This morph exhibits a brilliant, metallic golden-yellow base coloration. In the right lighting, faint vertical striping can be seen along the flanks, accompanied by vibrant red or orange accents near the gills and along the edges of the fins.
Barbels:
This species does not possess barbels.
Snout:
The snout is pointed with a wide, upturned mouth. This superior mouth position is an evolutionary adaptation for snatching terrestrial insects that fall onto the water's surface.
Eyes:
They have large, expressive eyes located near the top of their head, often displaying a reflective greenish or bluish iridescence, allowing them to spot prey above the water.
Fins:
The dorsal fin is set very far back on the body, near the caudal peduncle, which aids in sudden bursts of speed. The fins are primarily bright yellow, often featuring delicate red or orange margins.
The Tail:
The caudal fin (tail) is rounded and paddle-like, sharing the same vibrant yellow coloration as the rest of the body, occasionally with reddish fringes on the upper and lower edges.
Temper
They are generally considered semi-aggressive. While they are peaceful towards fish of similar or larger size, their predatory instincts mean they will readily consume any tank mate small enough to fit into their surprisingly large mouths (such as small tetras or nano rasboras).
Sociality
Golden Striped Pikes are relatively social and can be kept in groups. Males may occasionally flare and spar with one another to establish dominance, but this rarely results in serious injury if the tank is spacious enough. They do well in a community of medium-sized, peaceful fish.
Activity
They are highly active top-dwellers. You will almost always find them patrolling the upper strata of the aquarium, waiting for food. They are also notorious and skilled jumpers, meaning a tight-fitting lid is absolutely mandatory.
Keeping and Caring for Golden Striped Pike
Tank size:
A minimum tank size of 20 gallons (approx. 80 liters) is recommended for a small group, though larger tanks are preferred to provide ample surface area for swimming and territory establishment.
Water Parameters:
Temperature
They thrive in tropical temperatures ranging from 22-28°C (72-82°F).
pH
A slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6.0 and 7.5 is ideal.
Hardness
They are quite adaptable but generally prefer soft to moderately hard water, ideally between 5 and 15 dGH.
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate
Ammonia and Nitrite must always be at 0 ppm. Nitrates should be kept below 20 ppm through regular water changes and good filtration.
Lighting
Moderate lighting is acceptable, but they feel most secure when the light is somewhat subdued or dappled by floating vegetation.
Water flow
Keep water flow gentle to moderate. They originate from slow-moving waters and strong currents can exhaust them as they try to maintain their position at the surface.
Decorations and Plants
Floating plants (like Water Sprite, Frogbit, or Salvinia) are highly recommended, as they mimic their natural habitat, provide cover, and prevent them from jumping out. Driftwood and tall background plants also help them feel secure.
Diet
They are primarily carnivorous surface feeders. In captivity, they are not picky and will readily accept high-quality floating flakes and pellets. To maintain their vibrant colors and health, supplement their diet with live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, and fruit flies.
Some Feeding Tips
Always offer foods that float or sink very slowly, as they are reluctant to feed from the bottom of the tank. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, only what they can consume in a few minutes.
Breeding
Breeding the Golden Striped Pike is relatively easy. They are continuous plant spawners. In a breeding setup, provide spawning mops or dense clumps of fine-leaved plants (like Java Moss). The female will lay a few eggs daily, which the male fertilizes. The eggs take about 12 to 14 days to hatch. Because the adults may eat the fry, it is best to remove the eggs or spawning mop to a separate rearing tank. The fry can be fed infusoria or liquid fry food until they are large enough for baby brine shrimp.
Conclusion
The Golden Striped Pike is a captivating, hardy, and visually stunning fish that brings life and vibrant color to the upper levels of an aquarium. As long as they are kept with appropriately sized tank mates and provided with a secure lid and floating cover, they make a rewarding and long-lived addition to the home aquarium.
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