TankBud

Spotted leporinus

Leporinus granti

Also known as Grant's leporinus

FreshwaterFish

Spotted leporinus (Leporinus granti)
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
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
70 gal
265 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Anostomidae
Origin
Guiana Shield rivers of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana

Overview

The spotted leporinus is a busy, robust characin of the lower and middle water. It is a good step up for a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The spotted leporinus is named after William Grant. The ichthyologist Carl Eigenmann called him his most capable field guide on a 1908 collecting expedition in what is now Guyana.

Caring for the spotted leporinus

Allow a spotted leporinus at least 70 gal (265 L), and fit a very tight lid, as this fish jumps well. Give it a sand floor, smooth rocks and driftwood, with strong flow and clean water. It grazes plants, so avoid soft ones.

Keep the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), soft and acidic to neutral, with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. It rasps algae and biofilm from wood and rock almost constantly. Feed a varied omnivore diet with plenty of vegetable matter, along with sinking pellets, wafers and frozen foods.

Spotted leporinus do fine alone or in a group. They are well-known fin-nippers, so keep them with sturdy, active tank mates. Treat small or long-finned fish with caution. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The spotted leporinus is a member of the headstander family Anostomidae, patterned with rounded dark spots on a brassy body. The genus name Leporinus means little hare, after the enlarged pair of front teeth that recall a rabbit. It is also called Grant's leporinus.

In the wild

The spotted leporinus lives in the rocky, flowing rivers of the Guiana Shield across Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It grazes over stone in oxygen-rich current.

Common questions

What size tank does a spotted leporinus need?

A spotted leporinus needs at least 70 gal (265 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a spotted leporinus need?

A spotted leporinus is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a spotted leporinus eat?

A spotted leporinus is an omnivore that needs plenty of vegetable matter, along with sinking pellets, wafers and frozen foods. It also rasps algae and biofilm from wood and rock.

How big does a spotted leporinus get?

An adult spotted leporinus reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species