Diagnosis: Nothobranchius krysanovi is distinguished from other species of the genus Nothobranchius by the following combination of characters: males with bright colouration consisting of alternating light blue and orange-red oblique bars on body, dorsal and anal fins, and orange-brown caudal fin with orange subterminal and black terminal band; female with faint brown oblique bars on posterior part of flanks (Ref. 85866). It can be distinguished from the other species of the subgenus Nothobranchius as follows: from N. furzeri by male colouration, higher number of dorsal fin rays, 15-17 vs. 14-15; from N. kadleci by male colouration and shape of the frontal region, higher number of dorsal and anal fin rays, 15-17 vs. 13-14 and 15-17 vs. 13-14; and from N. orthonotus by male and female colouration, and lower number of scales on the mid-longitudinal series, 27-29 vs. 28-33 (Ref. 85866). Nothobranchius krysanovi can also be distinguished from N. rachovii by its higher number of diploid chromosomes, 2n=18 vs. 2n=16; and from N. pienaari by its much lower diploid chromosome number, 2n=18 vs. 2n=34 (Ref. 85866).

Description: Robust Nothobranchius of medium size; snout pointed, mouth terminal, directed slightly upward; body laterally compressed and deep; dorsal profile concave on head, convex from nape to end of dorsal fin; more convex in older males than in younger specimens; profile of caudal peduncle nearly straight (Ref. 858666). Supraorbital squamation G-type with frontal part partly covered with epidermal tissue; frontal and central supraorbital neuromast systems fused and forming two distinct shallow grooves; both lined with three shallow lobes at both sides of the groove; posterior cephalic neuromast systems in two curved grooves (Ref. 85866). Dorsal fin rays 15-17, anal fin rays 15-17; pelvic fins short, not reaching origin of anal fin; pectoral fins reaching to first pelvic fin rays (Ref. 85866). Scales on the median longitudinal line 27-29 + 3 on caudal fin base, most with shallow pit with one neuromast; transverse row of scales above pelvic fins 11, circumpeduncular scales 12 (Ref. 85866).

Colouration: Live male: body colour iridescent light-blue; scales with distinct orange-red margins; margin of some scales on posterior part of body and caudal peduncle more distinct, forming oblique bars, lower end forward; snout and head carmine-red to orange-red, throat orange-red; back anterior to dorsal fin carmine-red or brown-red; operculum with 2-3 orange-red oblique stripes; projecting part of branchiostegal membrane red to orange-red; iris yellow-bronze to gold with incomplete dark vertical bar; caudal fin orange-brown in the inner three quarters followed by a lighter orange subterminal band and black margin; dorsal fin bright blue with red or red-brown spots, larger in proximal part and smaller distally; spots may merge into oblong markings across fin; dorsal fin with narrow blue-white margin; anal fin similar to dorsal fin with lighter iridescent blue distal part lacking spots; ventral fins bright blue with dark red proximal spots; pectoral fins transparent translucent red with wide blue-white margin; iris golden with dark vertical bar (Ref. 85866). Live female: body colour grey-brown, darker on the back to silver on abdomen; several faint brown oblique bars, lower end to front, on posterior part of flanks; all fins colourless; iris bronze or gold with incomplete vertical dark bar (Ref. 85866).