Banded headstander

Synaptolaemus latofasciatus

Also known as Synaptolaemus cingulatus, Red-banded headstander

FreshwaterFish

Banded headstander (Synaptolaemus latofasciatus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 40 gal (150 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Shoaling
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Orinoco and upper Rio Negro drainages
Family: Anostomidae

Overview

This is a peaceful, specialised headstander that does best in a group of six or more; kept singly it grows nervous and hides away. It spends its time at a tilted, head-down angle in the middle and lower water, browsing biofilm and aufwuchs from the surfaces of driftwood and rock. Temperament is gentle, but it is easily crowded out at feeding time, so choose calm tankmates and treat boisterous or fin-nipping species with caution. Feed a mix of sinking pellets, algae wafers, and small frozen foods such as bloodworm and daphnia, and give it plenty of wood to graze. A tank of around 150 liters or more suits a small group, and a tight lid is essential, since headstanders are strong jumpers.

In the wild

The banded headstander comes from the soft, warm blackwaters of the upper Orinoco and upper Rio Negro, where it works among sunken branches and leaf litter in gentle to moderate current. Recreate that with a dim, tannin-stained tank: soft sand, a tangle of driftwood, dried leaves, and clean water kept warm at about 24 to 28 C and acidic to neutral, roughly pH 5.5 to 7.5. Steady flow and good oxygen keep it in condition.

Good to know

A member of the toothed headstander family Anostomidae, it reaches about 10 centimeters and is ringed with cream and dark red bands. The genus Synaptolaemus holds only this single species. For decades the hobby called it Synaptolaemus cingulatus, but a 2011 study showed the older name Leporinus latofasciatus, described in 1910, referred to the same fish and had priority. Its aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Did you know

The hooped fish sold as the banded headstander carried the wrong scientific name for over half a century, until researchers matched it to a specimen Steindachner had described back in 1910 under a completely different genus.