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Elegant pencilfish

Nannostomus limatus

Also known as Limatus pencilfish

FreshwaterFish

Elegant pencilfish (Nannostomus limatus)

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
Family
Lebiasinidae
Origin
Lower Amazon near Santarém, Brazil

Overview

The elegant pencilfish is a small, peaceful schooling fish for a quiet blackwater tank. It swims with a slight nose-up tilt and glides rather than darts. It is a step up from the easiest fish, best for a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The elegant pencilfish takes its species name, limatus, from the Latin for polished or filed smooth. It refers to the clean gold and black lining down the body, which looks filed smooth like furniture trim.

Caring for the elegant pencilfish

Keep elegant pencilfish in a group of eight or more, in a tank of at least 14 gal (54 L). Set it up as a blackwater tank with floating plants, leaf litter and dim light. A bright, open tank leaves them pale and hiding.

Give them soft, acidic water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), with a pH of 5.0 to 6.8 and gentle flow. Feed small foods they can take in midwater, such as fine flake, micro granules, frozen cyclops and baby brine shrimp.

Pencilfish do best in quiet company, and the elegant pencilfish is no exception. It is peaceful and safe to keep with other community fish.

Good to know

The elegant pencilfish belongs to the family Lebiasinidae and is also known as the limatus pencilfish. Like other pencilfish, it switches to a night pattern within minutes of lights out, breaking its horizontal stripe into blotches.

In the wild

The elegant pencilfish lives along the margins of the lower Amazon near Santarém, Brazil. It keeps to soft, acidic, tannin-stained water among submerged litter and vegetation.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The elegant pencilfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

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 does an elegant pencilfish need?

An elegant pencilfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.8.

What does an elegant pencilfish eat?

An elegant pencilfish eats small foods it can take in midwater. Feed it fine flake, micro granules, frozen cyclops and baby brine shrimp.

How big does an elegant pencilfish get?

An adult elegant pencilfish reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

Does an elegant pencilfish need a group?

Yes. An elegant pencilfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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