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Golden curimata

Cyphocharax multilineatus

Also known as Striped curimata, Many-lined curimata

FreshwaterFish

Golden curimata (Cyphocharax multilineatus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.0–7.0
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
40 gal
150 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Curimatidae
Origin
Upper Rio Negro and Orinoco basins

Overview

The golden curimata is a peaceful, silver-gold grazer that swims mostly in the middle and lower water. It makes a calm, constantly working addition to a soft-water community, and its care is a notch above beginner level.

Did you know

Curimatas like the golden curimata have lost their teeth entirely. It feeds by swallowing mouthfuls of biofilm and soft mud and grinding them down in a tough, gizzard-like stomach. A chicken uses the same trick with its gizzard and grit.

Caring for the golden curimata

Keep golden curimatas in a tank of at least 40 gal (150 L). A sandy floor, driftwood and some hardy plants give them grazing surfaces and cover. Gentle current and clean water keep them comfortable.

Give them soft, warm, acidic to neutral water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Softer, mineral-poor water suits them better than hard, alkaline conditions.

They graze the surfaces of the tank all day, picking biofilm, algae and detritus from stones, wood and plants. They are not fussy eaters, though, and take sinking pellets, flake and small frozen foods alongside their foraging.

Keep a group of five or more. Golden curimatas are gentle with everything, and other peaceful fish of similar size make good tank mates. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

Cyphocharax multilineatus is a member of the family Curimatidae. Fine dark pinstripes run along its brassy, silver body. It is one of the few of its family kept for its looks rather than as a food fish.

In the wild

The golden curimata lives in the upper Rio Negro and Orinoco basins. Its home waters are soft, warm and often tannin-stained, flowing over sand near submerged wood and plants.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The golden curimata is a peaceful, shoaling 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 golden curimata need?

A golden curimata needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a golden curimata need?

A golden curimata is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.

What does a golden curimata eat?

A golden curimata grazes biofilm, algae and detritus from stones, wood and plants. It also takes sinking pellets, flake and small frozen foods.

How big does a golden curimata get?

An adult golden curimata reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

Does a golden curimata need a group?

Yes. A golden curimata is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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