TankBud

Eight-spotted leporinus

Leporinus octomaculatus

Also known as Octomaculatus leporinus

FreshwaterFish

Eight-spotted leporinus (Leporinus octomaculatus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Anostomidae
Origin
Upper Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Overview

The eight-spotted leporinus is one of the more manageable members of its genus, and it does not grow into a tank-buster. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The eight-spotted leporinus has a literal name. Octomaculatus means eight-spotted, and the fish carries exactly that many rounded dark marks along its flank, so you can check the tally yourself.

Caring for the eight-spotted leporinus

Keep the eight-spotted leporinus in a tank of 53 gal (200 L) or more, and treat a tight lid as a must. Give it an open sandy floor, smooth rocks and driftwood. It grazes constantly, so use hard decor and only tough or plastic plants.

Provide brisk, well-oxygenated flow and warm water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C). Keep the pH soft and acidic to neutral, from 5.5 to 7.5. Feed a varied omnivore diet of sinking pellets, algae wafers, vegetables and frozen foods.

It is an active, social fish that does fine singly or in a group. As with other leporinus, watch for squabbling and fin-nipping. Give it room and keep it with sturdy tank mates rather than timid or long-finned ones. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The eight-spotted leporinus is a headstander in the family Anostomidae, described in 1993. It is small for a genus that includes fish three times its length.

In the wild

The eight-spotted leporinus lives in clear, fast tributaries of the upper Tapajós basin in Mato Grosso, Brazil. It swims over sand and stone washed by the current.

Common questions

What size tank does an eight-spotted leporinus need?

An eight-spotted leporinus needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an eight-spotted leporinus need?

An eight-spotted leporinus is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does an eight-spotted leporinus eat?

An eight-spotted leporinus is an omnivore that grazes constantly. Feed it sinking pellets, algae wafers, vegetables and frozen foods.

How big does an eight-spotted leporinus get?

An adult eight-spotted leporinus reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Related species