Nannostomus Trifasciatus - General Info

[Jorge O'Reilly]

Any experience keeping these chaps? Beyond what can be read online/species profiles etc. My LFS had just the four, I realize I should have at least two more but no can do. There's honestly not much on them, besides parameters and the fact that they are often kept with Apistos.

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

*Bumping it with a picture. Gorgeous fish, even a crappy Motorola G9 camera picks that up.

Also, unless I am much mistaken, they're exhibiting some breeding behaviour... One of them keeps nudging bellies. Sexing them is tough though, and it might just be a territory thing. After all, they got here 16 hours ago...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Very nice.

I'm not sure, but I think they might be <"Nannostomus marginatus">? This is N. trifasciatus <"Welcome to Toms Homepage">.

I think the main difference is that N. marginatus is a smaller, chunkier fish, but they are both great fish. Edit N. marginatus never has an adipose fin.

Also, unless I am much mistaken, they're exhibiting some breeding behaviour...

I hope so.

cheers Darrel

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

I'll have to spend some time studying this. Will get back to you after having done so. I hope they are, though, there's more about marginatus online.

Prima facie, I think you're right. I'll tell the LFS.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Will get back to you after having done so.

I'm reliably informed that Pencil fish taxonomy is in a state of flux, and the "species" we have a the moment may be either split (more likely) or lumped (less likely). <"DNA Barcoding in Pencilfishes (Lebiasinidae: Nannostomus) Reveals Cryptic Diversity across the Brazilian Amazon">.

I hope they are, though, there's more about marginatus online

You can use the information for Nannostomus marginatus for N. trifasciatus. I've kept a few different species of Lebiasinidae, and the only thing I don't agree with (in most of the information on them) is that they have all been <"pretty aggressive with each other">. I think that <"other forum members"> have found the same.

cheers Darrel

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

They are feisty, I can tell you that. The mother Apisto is still the absolute tyrant here though, and they really don't care about the others. As for the shrimp, let 'em have it, AFAIC... But there seems to be no issue.

 

[AlecF]

Pencilfish are sometimes so feisty as to be unbearable.

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

I am on the honeymoon stage. Besides, I really do enjoy their coloration and shape. I'll take some BS in exchange of not having overly common or gaudy fish.

 

[Bradders]

I find fish unpredictable - even in the specified 'community' range and specified 'required water parameter' range. I can never make head nor tail of it all! Different environments, different fish and different water chemistry all play a part in an outcome!

My five male Platy's have been squabbling all the time since introduction - which is something you can expect for having all males. I have recently added 10 x Microdevario kubotai (tiny, tiny, tiny fish), and now everyone is calm and swimming along nicely. Who knew?!?!!

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

I have a female Apisto herding her fry around the tank. Not precisely a calming tankmate... Whenever she's by the floaters they hang around, the pencilfish don't know what on earth is happening lol.

From what I can garner, I have either 2M2F, or three males and a female, with one male being rather uninterested in her. The way the active males block each other's access to the female is hilarious. Not really a "fight", not in the Apisto sense of the term. I think the female is thinner than she was when she arrived, so she must've spawned into the Fissidens already. Not a chance those survive...

 

[Bradders]

My Platys are like brothers that don't get along!! I have noticed that they have some strange behaviours in comparison to my other fish. (It might be known to the more experienced, but I have only learnt by viewing). When one Platy is feeling intimidated, they will form themselves into a downward 'S' shape to show they are being submissive! This (8 times out of 10) means they don't get chased around the aquarium and left alone!

 

[Wookii]

It perhaps depends on the environment they're kept in too. I've only kept Marginatus, and in my large tank with lots of broken lines of sight, I've not seen any major aggression amongst my group of 20 odd fish - maybe just the odd bit of posturing. Quite the opposite on the whole, they quite gregarious and will usually travel about in lose groups. I see a lot more sparring from the other fish in the tank.

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

They are definitely Marginatus. Or about as definite as I can make it out to be.

I think the main difference is that N. marginatus is a smaller, chunkier fish, but they are both great fish. Edit N. marginatus never has an adipose fin.

I did not see the edit, but did see that difference based on the source you provided, DW. They have none, and they are chunkier. Contacted the LFS and they said something along the lines of "yeah, they're from Colombia and nobody really ever knows what they're sending exactly".

 

[PremierFantasy88]

Nice fish but the ones pictured look like N.Marginatus. I would be concerned that your LFS is unable to do what is quite a simple ID...

My experience with Nannostomus is that the majority are pretty laid back (I've kept N.Espei, N.Marginatus, N.Trifasciatus, N.Eques, N.Unifasciatua, N.Mortenthaleri, N.Beckfordi, N.Rubrocaudatus) apart from the odd bit of sparing here and there. However I have always kept them in larger groups in tanks with plenty of floating plants and driftwood so there are lots of hiding places

I wouldn't recommend N.Mortenthaleri (coral reds) or N.Rubrocaudatus (purples) to most as they are the least laid back ones I have come across and the sparring is often quite intense

Good luck with the N.Marginatus, they are one of my favourites pencils

 

[Jorge O'Reilly]

Yeah, not overly concerned. Aquarium businesses down here are few and far between, and usually one knows more than the guy actually running it. This particular bloke is actually pretty good, but yeah. Argentines usually don't have the spare cash for this sort of hobby nowadays, so not a big market.