All fish / Lebiasinidae

Anduzei Pencilfish

Nannostomus anduzei

Also known as anduzei pencilfish, anduzi pencilfish, dwarf pencilfish, nannostomus anduzi, tiny pencilfish, ナノストムス・アンドゥゼイ, 安杜氏铅笔鱼

One of the smallest pencilfish, this slender species reaches under 2 cm and shows a dark lateral stripe with a bright red patch in the fins and on the body of males. It is kept by enthusiasts of nano blackwater tanks for its jewel-like colour and calm shoaling behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

1.8 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

4.5 to 6.5

Smallest tank

30 litres

Keep as

Group of 10 or more

Diet

Carnivore: tiny live and frozen foods such as Artemia nauplii, daphnia, cyclops and fine crumbled flake

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Rio Negro and Orinoco basins, Brazil and Venezuela

Breeding

An egg scatterer that lays small numbers of eggs among fine plants or moss, with no parental care and a habit of eating its own eggs. It has been bred in very soft, acidic water, but fry are tiny and need infusoria, so success is uncommon.

Good to know

Its very small size means it needs tiny foods and gentle tankmates, and it suits only soft, acidic, well-planted blackwater setups. Imports are infrequent and wild-caught fish can be delicate on arrival.