Red-lipped darter tetra

Nannocharax rubrolabiatus

Also known as Nannocharax rubolabiatus, African darter tetra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.4 in (6 cm)
Minimum tank: 21 gal (80 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Sanaga basin, Cameroon
Family: Distichodontidae

Overview

A subtle African darter with one memorable feature, its red lips, kept much like the other Nannocharax. It is a bottom fish that perches on its fins and hops over sand and stone, sociable enough to keep as a small group of several. Match it with calm, similarly sized tankmates rather than tiny or fragile fish. Give it a sand floor, smooth rocks, driftwood, and a gentle current to move against. Feed sinking foods and small frozen fare such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, picking them off the sand. Around 80 liters gives a small group room to work the floor.

In the wild

The red-lipped darter tetra is known only from the Sanaga River basin in Cameroon, in clear, flowing, well oxygenated forest water. Recreate that with a sandy floor, rounded stones, driftwood, and a moderate current. Keep it warm at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius, with pH anywhere from 6.0 to 7.5. As with its relatives it dislikes fresh, unsettled water, so keep the tank mature and the maintenance steady.

Good to know

Nannocharax rubrolabiatus is a small African darter of the family Distichodontidae, reaching about 6 centimeters. Its name means red-lipped, for the bright red lips that set it apart from its plainer, harder-to-identify cousins. It was described in 1995 and is known only from a single river basin in Cameroon. There is no record of it breeding in aquaria.

Did you know

In a genus of look-alike barred and blotched darters, this one is identified by its lipstick: a pair of bright red lips on an otherwise modest fish. It was only described by science in 1995.

Tank mates

Red-lipped darter tetra is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.