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
This peaceful dwarf does best in a shoal of 8 or more in a well planted nano or community tank. Its mouth is tiny, so offer small foods and keep it only with equally gentle, small tankmates. A quiet tank with soft water and subdued lighting shows off its stripes.
In the wild
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.
Good to know
Nannostomus digrammus is one of the smallest pencilfishes at around 3.5 cm, marked with two dark horizontal lines along a slim golden body. It belongs to the family Lebiasinidae. Like its relatives it shows a different pattern after dark.
Did you know
At barely over 3 cm, it is small enough that a mature group can live comfortably in a well planted desktop tank.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
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.
Ivantsoff's blue-eye
Pseudomugil ivantsoffi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Bamboo shrimp
Atyopsis moluccensis
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)
Hercules snail
Brotia herculea
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Bumblebee otocinclus
Rhinotocinclus isabelae
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Glowlight rasbora
Trigonostigma hengeli
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Honey blue-eye
Pseudomugil mellis
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–82°F (20–28°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.
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)