TankBud

Three-spot headstander

Pseudanos trimaculatus

Also known as Three-spotted headstander

FreshwaterFish

Three-spot headstander (Pseudanos trimaculatus)
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
7.5 in
19 cm
Minimum tank
70 gal
265 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Anostomidae
Origin
Amazon and Orinoco basins

Overview

The three-spot headstander is a peaceful shoaling fish that holds a tilted, head-down posture in the middle and lower water. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

A three-spot headstander is not struggling when it hangs nose-down. The oblique, head-first posture points its upturned mouth straight at algae and small foods growing on the undersides of submerged wood.

Caring for the three-spot headstander

A group of three-spot headstanders needs 70 gal (265 L) or more, with a tight lid. Give them soft sand, leaf litter and generous driftwood, with gentle to moderate flow. They browse biofilm and aufwuchs from wood and rock.

Hold the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and keep it clean. Soft, acidic to neutral water with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 suits them. Feed sinking pellets, algae wafers and small frozen foods, with some vegetable matter.

Keep them in a group of six or more, since single fish become shy and stressed. They are gentle and easily outcompeted, so choose calm tank mates. Treat boisterous or nippy species with caution. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The three-spot headstander is a toothed headstander in the family Anostomidae. It carries three clean dark spots along each flank on a silvery, pewter-toned body. Fish from the Amazon tend to show bolder spotting than those from the Orinoco or Essequibo.

In the wild

The three-spot headstander is widespread across the Amazon and Orinoco basins. It lives among submerged branches and root tangles in warm, often tannin-stained water.

Common questions

What size tank does a three-spot headstander need?

A three-spot headstander needs at least 70 gal (265 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a three-spot headstander need?

A three-spot headstander is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a three-spot headstander eat?

A three-spot headstander eats sinking pellets, algae wafers and small frozen foods, with some vegetable matter. It also browses biofilm and aufwuchs from wood and rock.

How big does a three-spot headstander get?

An adult three-spot headstander reaches about 7.5 in (19 cm).

Does a three-spot headstander need a group?

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

Related species