Elegant pencilfish
Nannostomus limatus
Also known as Limatus pencilfish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
- pH
- 5.0–6.8
- Adult size
- 1.6 in (4 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 14 gal (54 L)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Lower Amazon near Santarém, Brazil
- Family
- Lebiasinidae
Overview
Pencilfish do best in quiet company, and this one is no exception. Keep eight or more in a 54 liter blackwater tank with floating plants, leaf litter and dim light; bright open tanks leave it pale and hiding. It swims with a slight nose-up tilt and glides rather than darts. Feed small foods it can take mid-water: fine flake, micro granules, frozen cyclops and baby brine shrimp.
In the wild
Nannostomus limatus lives in the margins of the lower Amazon near Santarém, in soft, acidic, tannin-stained water among submerged litter and vegetation. Keep it at 24 to 28 degrees Celsius and pH 5.0 to 6.8, with gentle flow and low light.
Good to know
Nannostomus limatus reaches about 4 centimeters. The epithet means polished or filed smooth, for the clean gold and black lining down the body. Like other pencilfish it switches to a different night pattern within minutes of lights out, breaking the horizontal stripe into blotches.
Did you know
Latin polished is the whole description: a fish filed smooth as furniture trim.
Tank mates
Elegant pencilfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Drape-fin barb
Oreichthys crenuchoidesFreshwater1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Spot-tail curimata
Curimatopsis evelynaeFreshwater1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Black darter tetra
Poecilocharax weitzmaniFreshwater1.9 in (4.7 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Dwarf driftwood catfish
Tatia gyrinaFreshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Green lace shrimp
Atyoida pilipesFreshwater2.8 in (7 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Marbled helogenes
Helogenes marmoratusFreshwater3.1 in (8 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Elegant pencilfish need?
An Elegant pencilfish needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH do Elegant pencilfish need?
Elegant pencilfish are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.8.
How big do Elegant pencilfish get?
An adult Elegant pencilfish reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).
Do Elegant pencilfish need a group?
Yes. Elegant pencilfish are a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Aquatic Arts Freshwater fish, shrimp and snails with an arrive-alive guarantee
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Keeping Elegant pencilfish?
Track water tests, reminders and stocking fit.
Planning tankmates
See how Elegant pencilfish fits a stocking plan. Open the stocking calculator
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Related species
One-lined Pencilfish
Nannostomus unifasciatusFreshwater1.6 in (4 cm)17 gal (65 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Shining pencilfish
Nannostomus nitidusFreshwater1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Hockeystick pencilfish
Nannostomus equesFreshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Twostripe pencilfish
Nannostomus digrammusFreshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm)12 gal (45 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Three-lined pencilfish
Nannostomus trifasciatusFreshwater1.3 in (3.3 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Marilyn's pencilfish
Nannostomus marilynaeFreshwater2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)