HomeFreshwater aquarium fishRainbowfish & killifishKafue killifish Kafue killifish (Nothobranchius kafuensis) Scientific name: Nothobranchius kafuensis Wildekamp & Rosenstock, 1989 The Kafue killifish (Nothobranchius kafuensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Nothobranchiidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 22–28°C (72–82°F). Native range: Africa, Zambia. Kafue killifish care at a glanceTemperature22–28°C (72–82°F) BiologyBottom spawner, 5 months incubation. Is difficult to maintain in aquarium.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameNothobranchius kafuensisFamilyNothobranchiidae (African rivulines)OrderCyprinodontiformes (Live bearers, Killifishes and Rivulines)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length6.0EnvironmentFreshwater; benthopelagic; non-migratoryClimateTropicalDistributionAfrica: Zambia.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesAquarium: commercial More rainbowfish & killifishArgentine pearlfishAustrolebias bellottiiRedtail nothoNothobranchius guentheriStriped panchaxAplocheilus lineatusBluefin killifishLucania goodeiFlagfishJordanella floridaeKamaka rainbowfishMelanotaenia kamakaSee all rainbowfish & killifish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026