After the area they were caught from - Njala.

Neumann W. 1976
Ein neuer Epiplatys aus Sierra Leone.
Aquarien Terrarien 23 (1): p 4-7, figure, map.

Standard length is given as 6 cm by Romand (1992).

• D = 9-10, A = 13-14, ll = 28 (Neumann 1976)
• D = 9-11, A = 15-16, D/A = +9-12 (Romand 1992)

Epiplatys

fasciolatus

• Aplocheilus njalaensis Radda 1976

• Bahama (southern Sierra Leone)
• Bandi
• Bumpeh
• Fadugu (SL 93 / 36)
• Hojieh River
• Kagbaneh
• Kamabai
• Kenema
• Mano Geleben (southern Sierra Leone)
• Mayepema
• Munguna
• Njala (southern Sierra Leone)
• Serabu (southern Sierra Leone)
• Vaama

Vaama - Collected by Fred Wright, Rod Roberts & John Parker et al half a mile from the village of Vaama & inhabited a stream which flowed under the road in a well shaded pool further inland from the road. This pool formed by the stream was 10 feet wide & about 10" deep at the deepest part. Also found in this pool were E.fasciolatus. Two populations were found (Vaama & Mayepema). Vaama was the least colourful of the two. Water temperature 78°F, pH 6·3, DH 2.

Mayepema - Collected by Fred Wright, Rod Roberts & John Parker et al near to Mayepema village in a 'small pool formed in a slightly flowing stream'. Many pools were observed in this stream varying from 10-18" deep & 3-10 feet wide. Water temperature 77°F, pH 6·3, DH 2.

Njala, Southwest Province, approximately 4 miles north of Mano Geleben, Yong River drainage.

Fairly restricted to the area of the type locality.

http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c102/c102mr/epiplaty/njalaens.htm

Rainforest streams & creeks.

Discovered by Roloff in 1975 near the village of Njala, Southwest Province, Sierra Leone. Also collected by Fred Wright, Rod Roberts & John Parker et al in the early part of 1976 in 2 localities which differed in the intensity of colour.

Regarded as a difficult species to breed. Their is little information on breeding habits available except that young grow slowly reaching sexual maturity at about 7-8 months.

The Mayepema & Vaama populations were bred in the UK in 1976 & found prolific with periodic lay offs from spawning. Eggs were deposited in floating mops & were taken out & incubated in smaller containers with water from the parents tank. Water incubation was observed as being rapid with fry emerging after only 10 days. It was noted that the newly hatched fry require plenty of space. The fry were observed to stay to the sides of the hatching container in a head down position.
Fry are small on hatching but grew rapidly. According to Wildekamp (World of Killies) sexual maturity is regarded as being 7-8 months.
Some fry did escape being eaten by the parent fish & grew on in the breeding tank.