Not furry, but we like them anyway.

Norman's Lampeye

Poropanchax normani

Also called Norman's lampeye killifish, Aplocheilichthys normani (former name)

SpeciesShort profile

From West and Central Africa, from Senegal and Gambia east to Chad, the Central African Republic and the White Nile in Sudan.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight7e-05 to 0.00034 kg2

Length4 to 4.5 cm1 2

Lifespan3 to 4 years2

Sizetiny

Adults weigh roughly 0.07-0.34 g.

Shimmering 'lamp' eyes that catch the light

Peaceful shoaling nano fish

Considered easy to keep

2 1

Looks how to spot one

Slender scaled fish

A small, slim killifish with an upward-facing mouth for picking food from the surface, rounded fins set well back on the body, and big eyes with a bright reflective patch on top.2

Colourspale, slightly translucent bodybluish sheenyellow fin edgesbright reflective eye markings2

Personality what they are like

A calm, sociable fish that spends much of its time in the upper water layers, looking most at home in a group.2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Active near the surface and most busy in the morning and during daylight.2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Water around 22-26 C with pH roughly 6.5-7.2. Not a seasonal (annual) killifish, so it lives on year-round in the aquarium.1

Home where they are happiest

A planted tank with calm water suits it, reflecting the vegetated small rivers, brooks and swamps of the savannah where it lives.1 2

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Eats small invertebrates such as mosquito larvae and tiny crustaceans in the wild. In the aquarium it takes brine shrimp, daphnia, small pellets and crushed flakes.2

Company who they like around

A shoaling fish; keep it in a group.2

The story where it all began

Ernst Ahl described the species in 1928 and named it after British Museum ichthyologist John Roxborough Norman. It was first placed in Aplocheilichthys and later moved to Poropanchax.1 2

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
It is described as the most widespread of the African lampeyes.2
2
Its eggs carry a tuft of sticky threads that anchors them to plants or the bottom.2
3
The upturned mouth is built for feeding at the water surface.2

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List (via FishBase): Least Concern (assessed 2019).1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Norman's Lampeye. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
Temperature checkevery day
Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
Water testevery week
Glass cleanevery week
Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

FishBase: Poropanchax normani fishbase.seused for size, range, water parameters, IUCN, history
Wikipedia: Poropanchax normani en.wikipedia.orgused for description, colours, weight, lifespan, diet, fun facts

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.