TankBud

Four-spot headstander

Pseudanos varii

Also known as Vari's headstander

FreshwaterFish

Four-spot headstander (Pseudanos varii)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8.3 in
21 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Anostomidae
Origin
Rio Negro basin and upper Orinoco

Overview

The four-spot headstander is a peaceful shoaling fish for the middle and lower water of a large blackwater tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The four-spot headstander is named for Richard Vari, a specialist in characiform fishes at the Smithsonian. He was one of the leading scientists on its family and studied the anostomids in depth.

Caring for the four-spot headstander

Allow a tank of 79 gal (300 L) or more for a group of four-spot headstanders, with a tight lid. A dim, tannin-stained setup suits them, with soft sand, leaf litter and plenty of driftwood to browse. They graze biofilm and aufwuchs from wood and rock.

Keep the water clean, with gentle flow, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C). It should be soft and acidic to neutral, with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets, algae wafers and small frozen foods, with some vegetable matter.

Keep them in a group of six or more, since a lone fish becomes withdrawn and stressed. They are gentle and easily crowded out at feeding time, so choose calm tank mates. Treat boisterous or nippy species with caution. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The four-spot headstander is a toothed headstander in the family Anostomidae, described in 2012. Like its relatives, it holds a tilted, head-down posture in the water.

In the wild

The four-spot headstander lives in soft, warm blackwaters shared by the Rio Negro basin and the upper Orinoco, which connect through the Casiquiare. It grazes among sunken branches in seasonally flooded forest.

Common questions

What size tank does a four-spot headstander need?

A four-spot headstander needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a four-spot headstander need?

A four-spot headstander is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a four-spot headstander eat?

A four-spot headstander eats sinking pellets, algae wafers and small frozen foods, with some vegetable matter. It also browses biofilm and aufwuchs from driftwood and rock.

How big does a four-spot headstander get?

An adult four-spot headstander reaches about 8.3 in (21 cm).

Does a four-spot headstander need a group?

Yes. A four-spot headstander is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species