Three-banded pencilfish

Nannostomus trifasciatus

Family : Characidae

FishFreshwaterPencilfish

Small elongated fish with three horizontal black bands. Similar to N. eques but with broader bands.

Three-banded pencilfish — photo 1 sur 3 — Tsunamicarlos at en.wikipedia · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain1 / 3

Popularity

Community fish

classic in freshwater aquarium

Availability

Common in shops

Shop availability

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Biotope

South America

Hors bassin amazonien : Paraná, Orénoque, Andes.

Description

Nannostomus trifasciatus reaches up to 4 cm. Its body is elongated with an upward mouth. It has three thick horizontal black bands on a silvery background. The caudal fin is orange-red. It differs from N. eques by broader bands and slightly smaller size. It is a peaceful, schooling surface-dwelling fish. It prefers soft, acidic water. It is often confused with N. eques but can be differentiated by the band pattern.

Habitat

Region :

Blackwater streams and small rivers, vegetated areas

Distribution :

Recommended parameters

Temperature23–28 °C

pH5.5–7

GH2–10 °dGH

KH1–5 °dKH

NO₃

≤ 20 mg/L

PO₄

≤ 0.5 mg/L

Care

Difficulty

1/5

Diet

Carnivore

Min. tank

40 L

Min. group

Adult size

4 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Temperament

Peaceful

Propagation

Egg-scatterer

Care notes

Aquarium of at least 40 liters, planted with floating plants. Soft and acidic water (pH 5.5-7.0, GH 2-10) at 23-28°C. Diet: micro-worms, brine shrimp, daphnia, and fine dry food. Compatible with other small peaceful fish. Keep in groups of at least 6. Avoid strong currents. Weekly water changes. Sensitive to high nitrates.

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