An endemic toothed killifish species native to Türkiye and listed as critically endangered has been placed under protection as part of a conservation project carried out in cooperation between Istanbul Aquarium and the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Istanbul Aquarium Curator Uğur Çağlar said that the protection process and the scientific work being conducted after the fish were transferred from their natural habitat to a controlled aquarium environment.
Çağlar said the toothed killifish, known internationally as “killifish,” is endemic to Acıgöl in the southwestern province of Burdur. “Because the species faces a critically high risk of extinction, we decided to launch this project,” he said.
Noting that Istanbul Aquarium hosts more than 17,000 animals from over 1,500 species, Çağlar said that each fish species has different environmental needs. “Requirements such as water parameters, feeding habits, stress factors and environmental conditions vary significantly. For this reason, we first visited the Zoological Society of London, one of our partner institutions, and observed similar species on site,” he said.
“After field studies at Acıgöl, individuals were collected with official permits and transferred to the aquarium,” Çağlar said. “Here, we created two separate experimental environments: Exhibition tanks and quarantine tanks. We tested breeding conditions in both.”
He stressed that immediate breeding is not expected after relocation. “The species first needs to adapt. Light intensity, water temperature, chemical composition and other parameters must closely resemble natural conditions. Seasonal simulations were created by adjusting water temperatures accordingly.”
Tank substrates were also designed to reflect the fish’s natural habitat, while compatible aquatic plants were cultivated in the same water. “An increase in live plants provided a safe and comfortable breeding environment. To improve breeding success, eggs were monitored on a daily basis,” he added.
Following a successful breeding season, the number of killifish brought from Acıgöl rose from 98 to more than double that figure, Çağlar said. The project’s primary goal is to increase the population in controlled environments and eventually release the fish back into the wild once necessary permissions are obtained.
The species found in Acıgöl is known scientifically as Anatolichthys transgrediens. Related endemic species include Anatolichthys saldae in Burdur’s Salda Lake and Anatolichthys danfordii in Kayseri’s Sultan Marshes.
The endangered killifish can be seen at the Istanbul Aquarium.
