Golden pencilfish
Nannostomus beckfordi
Also known as Beckford's Pencilfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 70–81°F
- 21–27°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.4 in
- 6 cm
- Minimum tank
- 18 gal
- 70 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Lebiasinidae
- Origin
- The Guianas, Brazil, Venezuela
Overview
Keep them in a group of at least six to settle them and show off their behavior. They occupy the upper to middle levels and stay peaceful, which makes them good for calm community tanks. Hold the temperature in the low to mid 20s C and pH from 6 to 7.5. Their mouths are small, so feed fine flake, micro pellets, and small frozen foods like daphnia and baby brine shrimp.
In the wild
Golden pencilfish come from slow streams and small rivers across the Guianas, northern Brazil, and Venezuela. The water is soft, acidic, and stained brown with tannins, full of roots, leaf litter, and plants. Recreate that with a planted tank, some floating cover, gentle flow, and a darker setup. Tannins from driftwood or leaves help.
Good to know
Nannostomus beckfordi belongs to the family Lebiasinidae, the pencilfishes. It has a slim, pencil-shaped body with a gold stripe from snout to tail, and reaches about 6 cm. It is an egg scatterer, moderately breedable in soft, acidic water, with no parental care.
Did you know
Many pencilfish, including this one, swap their daytime pattern for a different nighttime one. As the lights go off the bold stripe fades and breaks into blotches or bars, so the fish you check on at night can look like a different species.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Golden pencilfish 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.
Bristlenose pleco
Ancistrus sp.
Freshwater4.9 in (12.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
Rex halfbeak
Nomorhamphus rex
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
X-ray tetra
Pristella maxillaris
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Cinnamon loach
Pangio pangia
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Cuban limia
Limia vittata
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Golden pencilfish need?
A Golden pencilfish needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Golden pencilfish need?
A Golden pencilfish is comfortable at 70–81°F (21–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big does a Golden pencilfish get?
An adult Golden pencilfish reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).
Does a Golden pencilfish need a group?
Yes. A Golden pencilfish is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Harrison's pencilfish
Nannostomus harrisoni
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Marilyn's pencilfish
Nannostomus marilynae
2 in (5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Elegant pencilfish
Nannostomus limatus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)17 gal (65 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)One-lined pencilfish
Nannostomus unifasciatus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Shining pencilfish
Nannostomus nitidus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Hockeystick pencilfish
Nannostomus eques
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)