Twostripe pencilfish
Nannostomus digrammus
Also known as Two-lined pencilfish, Two-striped pencilfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.0
- Adult size
- 1.4 in
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 12 gal
- 45 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Lebiasinidae
- Origin
- Found in the Amazon basin, including parts of Brazil, Guyana, and neighboring countries.
Overview
The twostripe pencilfish is a peaceful dwarf that shoals in the middle of a planted tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The twostripe pencilfish is one of the smallest pencilfishes. It is small enough that a mature group can live comfortably in a well-planted desktop tank.
Caring for the twostripe pencilfish
Keep twostripe pencilfish in a shoal of 8 or more, in a well-planted nano or community tank of at least 12 gal (45 L). They swim in the middle of the tank. A quiet tank with subdued lighting shows off their stripes.
Give them soft water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Their mouths are tiny, so offer small foods.
Keep them only with equally gentle, small tank mates. Breeding them is moderately difficult.
Good to know
Nannostomus digrammus belongs to the family Lebiasinidae. It is marked with two dark horizontal lines along a slim golden body. Like its relatives, it shows a different pattern after dark.
In the wild
The twostripe pencilfish comes from the Amazon basin, including parts of Brazil, Guyana and neighboring countries. It lives in quiet, shaded blackwater and clearwater streams thick with vegetation. The water is soft and acidic, with plenty of fine-leaved plants and leaf litter for cover. These tiny fish keep to the middle water in small groups.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The twostripe pencilfish 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Bamboo shrimp
Atyopsis moluccensis
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)
Chopstick snail
Stenomelania torulosa
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 12 gal (46 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a twostripe pencilfish need?
A twostripe pencilfish needs at least 12 gal (45 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a twostripe pencilfish need?
A twostripe pencilfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.
What does a twostripe pencilfish eat?
A twostripe pencilfish has a tiny mouth, so offer it small foods.
How big does a twostripe pencilfish get?
An adult twostripe pencilfish reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Does a twostripe pencilfish need a group?
Yes. A twostripe pencilfish is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Hockeystick pencilfish
Nannostomus eques
1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)
1.3 in (3.3 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Three-lined pencilfish
Nannostomus trifasciatus
1.3 in (3.3 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Elegant pencilfish
Nannostomus limatus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)17 gal (65 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)One-lined pencilfish
Nannostomus unifasciatus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Shining pencilfish
Nannostomus nitidus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.2 in (3 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Barred pencilfish
Nannostomus espei
1.2 in (3 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)