killifish

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkɪlɪfɪʃ/

noun (plural or killifishes)

  • a small toothcarp of fresh or brackish water, typically brightly coloured. They are mainly native to America and include many popular aquarium fishes.
    • Families Cyprinodontidae (or Fundulidae), which includes numerous genera of egg-laying killifishes, and Poeciliidae, which includes a few live-bearing species

Origin:

early 19th century: apparently from kill1 and fish1