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Spot-tail curimata

Curimatopsis evelynae

Also known as Evelyn's curimata

FreshwaterFish

Spot-tail curimata (Curimatopsis evelynae)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
4.5–6.5
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Curimatidae
Origin
Upper Rio Negro and Orinoco blackwaters

Overview

The spot-tail curimata is a tiny, peaceful blackwater fish that works as a gentle, tireless cleaner of surfaces. It needs a little more care than a beginner fish.

Did you know

The spot-tail curimata was named in 1964 for Evelyn Axelrod, wife of the aquarium publisher Herbert Axelrod. His magazine printed the description.

Caring for the spot-tail curimata

Keep spot-tail curimatas in a small soft-water tank of at least 14 gal (54 L). A layer of dried leaves over sand, plus driftwood and dim light, reproduces their home and stains the water naturally with tannins. This small grazer is sensitive, so run steady, gentle filtration and keep the water clean.

The water should be warm, soft, low in minerals and distinctly acidic. Hold it at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) with a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. Spot-tail curimatas graze biofilm and fine detritus as they drift through the middle and lower water and over the bottom. They also accept small sinking foods, crushed flake and fine frozen items, so they are easy to keep fed.

Keep a group of at least six to see them at ease. They are harmless to everything and suit a nano community of other small, calm fish that share their taste for soft, acidic water. There is no record of them breeding in aquaria.

Good to know

Curimatopsis evelynae, also called Evelyn's curimata, is one of the smallest members of the toothless characin family Curimatidae. Like all curimatids, it feeds on detritus. Its plain body carries a single dark spot at the base of the tail, which gives the fish its name. The ichthyologist Jacques Gery described it.

In the wild

The spot-tail curimata lives in the blackwater creeks of the upper Rio Negro and Orinoco. The soft, acidic water there is the color of dark tea and runs through leaf litter and shaded forest margins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The spot-tail 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 spot-tail curimata need?

A spot-tail curimata needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a spot-tail curimata need?

A spot-tail curimata is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.5.

What does a spot-tail curimata eat?

A spot-tail curimata grazes biofilm and fine detritus. It also accepts small sinking foods, crushed flake and fine frozen items.

How big does a spot-tail curimata get?

An adult spot-tail curimata reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

Does a spot-tail curimata need a group?

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

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