Saddlespot leporinus

Leporinus maculatus

Also known as Saddle-spotted leporinus

FreshwaterFish

Saddlespot leporinus (Leporinus maculatus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 7.1 in (18 cm)
Minimum tank: 70 gal (265 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal rivers of the Guianas
Family: Anostomidae

Overview

The saddlespot leporinus is a hardy, active characin that patrols the lower and middle water and tips head-down to pick at wood and stone. It is a social fish that can be kept alone or in a group, but it is a known plant grazer and can nip fins, so use tough decor rather than soft plants and keep it with robust tankmates, treating small or delicate fish with caution. Feed a varied omnivore diet of sinking pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables, and frozen foods. It reaches about 18 centimeters, so allow around 265 liters or more, with a tight-fitting lid, since leporinus are strong jumpers.

In the wild

This species lives in the coastal rivers of the Guianas, holding station where flowing and slack water meet, over sand and around wood and rock. Give it a sandy floor with driftwood and smooth stones, moderate flow, and clean, oxygen-rich water. Keep temperatures around 22 to 27 C and the pH from soft and acidic to neutral, roughly 5.5 to 7.5.

Good to know

A member of the headstander family Anostomidae, it was described in 1844 and reaches about 18 centimeters. It is marked with bold dark saddle blotches over the back that fade toward the belly. Aquarium breeding is not recorded for it.

Did you know

It is one of the oldest-named fish in its genus still kept in the hobby, described by Muller and Troschel in 1844, well before most of its relatives were known to science.