Peat Spawning Killifish (Annuals)
Dry or Peat Moss Incubation

    Albeit the mop spawning method is used with most killies, including some annuals and semi-annuals, the second incubation method for killifish is known as either "dry incubation" or "peat incubation".  This method is one you must use with species that are annuals, that require their eggs to be stored in peat moss, sometimes as much as 6 months.  Gularis and Nothobranchius Racovii are examples of killifish that require the eggs go through a dry "diapause" period in their incubation.

    The peat moss incubation method sometimes works when the wet method fails and is a good way to ship killifish eggs.  With annuals, you must wait for the hatching date to add the peat and eggs to water, but with the plant spawners and other non-annuals, you can dump the peat moss and eggs into your hatching tray and then handle the whole thing as a water incubation. 

    A good way to try to harvest as many eggs possible with annuals is to place a pair or a trio in a 3-5 gallon bare tank of seasoned water, meeting the native requirements of the species.  Slowly lower a small plastic container or bowl that is about half full, 1 inch, of boiled and drained peat moss.  Careful to try to keep the peat inside the bowl.

    Let the fish spawn for a few days up to a week to 10 days..  Remove the pairs/trio.  Slowly remove the bowl of peat/eggs out of the aquarium.  With a small pipette or a , remove the water from the bowl, careful again not to disturb the peat/eggs, leaving about 1/8 inch of water. 

    Pour contents into a baggie and leave the baggie open for another day or so.  Allow the water to continue to dry, so that the peat remains very moist.   Then close the baggie and mark on it the projected hatching date, based upon the species.

    It is also possible to hunt for the eggs in the peat, or in some cases use a  spawning mop with a substrate spawning killifish species (just let the mop sink to the bottom of the spawning tank), and then after harvesting from the mop place the eggs individually in a hatching try line with about 1/4 inch of pre-processed peat moss.  It is recommended that the hatching tray to be about 8" x 4" and at least 2" deep, because when water is adding on the hatching date, these fry will spend the first few days/weeks in this hatching tray, until they are large enough to move to a grow-out tank.

    Harvested eggs are placed singly atop very moist peat moss in a closed, darkened container. The peat moss should be moist about the same as pipe tobacco or a little moister, like wet leaves.  Place the eggs apart from each other to prevent fungus from spreading among them, and check them every day to remove dead and fungus eggs.  Usually after the primitive embryo streak appears in the egg, the less likely it will develop fungus.

    When the embryos in the eggs are "eyed-up", they are close to hatching.  This is true of all killifish species, however, if you receive eggs with a hatching date, it is best to use the hatching date, provided by your breeder source for the eggs.

Hatching the Eggs

    When the fry are ready to hatch, slowly add some seasoned water and a little food in the form of a few microworms, vinegar eels, or newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii.  The peat method does give you some control of hatching dates of both annuals and non-annual killifish.  Some species have fry so small they also require some  infusoria for the first few days.

    After all of the eggs hatch, place one small snail in the hatching tray, to consume uneaten food, to prevent the water from fouling.  It is also recommended to place a small clump of Java Moss and algae (ideally both) in the hatching tray with new fry, just after they begin emerging.