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Fourspot hemiodus

Hemiodus quadrimaculatus

Also known as Barred hemiodus

FreshwaterFish

Fourspot hemiodus (Hemiodus quadrimaculatus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
6.3 in
16 cm
Minimum tank
106 gal
400 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Hemiodontidae
Origin
Guiana Shield rivers

Overview

The fourspot hemiodus is an active, open-water schooling characin for the middle of a long tank. It is best for a keeper past the beginner stage.

Did you know

The species name of the fourspot hemiodus, quadrimaculatus, means four-spotted. It is a nod to the dark marks along its silver side.

Caring for the fourspot hemiodus

A group of fourspot hemiodus needs a long tank of around 106 gal (400 L) or more. Give it a sandy floor and open swimming lanes, which matter more than heavy planting for a fish built to cruise. It is a strong jumper that can leap clear of the water, so a tight, well-fitted lid is essential.

Keep the water soft and warm, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Add some water movement and keep oxygen levels high.

Like others in its family, it is a daytime grazer and micro-feeder rather than a predator. It takes both greens and meaty foods. Offer sinking vegetable flake or blanched vegetables alongside frozen bloodworm and daphnia.

Keep it in a group of six or more, since single fish turn nervous and skittish. It is a peaceful, fast swimmer, so choose calm, similarly active companions rather than slow or tiny fish it might unsettle. Its breeding has not been recorded in aquaria.

Good to know

Hemiodus quadrimaculatus belongs to Hemiodontidae, the halftooths, a South American family of streamlined open-water characins. Imports are wild-caught adults.

In the wild

The fourspot hemiodus lives in clear, flowing rivers of the Guiana Shield. It moves in shoals over sand in open, well-oxygenated water.

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Tank mates

The fourspot hemiodus 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 a fourspot hemiodus need?

A fourspot hemiodus needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a fourspot hemiodus need?

A fourspot hemiodus is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a fourspot hemiodus eat?

A fourspot hemiodus takes both greens and meaty foods. Offer sinking vegetable flake or blanched vegetables alongside frozen bloodworm and daphnia.

How big does a fourspot hemiodus get?

An adult fourspot hemiodus reaches about 6.3 in (16 cm).

Does a fourspot hemiodus need a group?

Yes. A fourspot hemiodus is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a fourspot hemiodus breed?

The fourspot hemiodus has no recorded breeding in aquaria.

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