Nannostomus beckfordi
| Common Names: | Golden Pencilfish |
| Synonyms: |
| Family: | Lebiasinidae |
| Category: | Characins |
| Distribution: | America - South; Guyana, South America. |
| Main Ecosystem: | Swamp; Swamp |
| Temperament: | Timid; Peaceful. Keep in schools in tanks with other peaceful species where they will hide during most of the day. Can be timid. |
| Diet: | Carnivore; Carnivore |
| Care: | Relatively easy to keep. Feed flakes or small live foods during the evening. Soft water is essential. A planted tank would benefit the Golden Pencil Fish. Best kept in shoals, but watch for part-time territoriality among the males, which can escalate to actual violence, although more usually ritual 'jousting' between males is the outcome of territorial disputes. Possibly the toughest of all the Pencil Fishes, and a good species for a beginner to Pencil Fishes. |
| pH: |
|
| Temperature: |
|
| Hardness: |
|
| Potential Size: | Male: 6cm (2.4") Female: 6cm (2.4") |
| Water Region: | Middle; Middle |
| Activity: | Diurnal; Diurnal |
| Gender: | The fins of males have white tips, while females are larger. |
| Breeding: | Can be bred. Raise the temperature to around 29°C, with very soft water and a pH of 6.2. Live food, such as mosquito larvae, will help condition the fish in preparation for breeding. Remove the parents after spawning. |
| Variants: |
| Comments: | A good species for beginners that want to start diversifying. |
| Main Colours: | Yellow, Black |
| Markings: | Striped Horizontal |
| Mouth: | Normal |
| Tail: | Concave |
| Search: | Show similar species Find compatible species |
| Image Credit: | © FishProfiles.com |
| Submitted By: | Adam |
| History: | View changes to this profile |
| Edit Profile: |