Three-lined Pencilfish, also known as Three-stripe Pencilfish, is a small fish with the scientific name Nannostomus trifasciatus.
Its name comes from Greek and Latin words meaning “small mouth” and “three bands.”
It’s a freshwater fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae.
Three-lined Pencilfish eats worms, crustaceans, and insects in their natural environment.
People like having these fish in aquariums because they’re small, colorful, and easy to care for.
Three-lined Pencilfish Interesting Facts
- Three-lined Pencilfish (Nannostomus trifasciatus) has a small mouth and three bands, as indicated by its name.
- Native to South America, it thrives in freshwater environments with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 and temperature between 75°F to 82°F (24°C to 28°C)
- Popular in aquariums due to their size and color, they eat worms, crustaceans, and insects.
- They grow up to 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters) in length and weigh a maximum of 0.41 grams.
Three-lined Pencilfish Habitat
Three-lined Pencilfish, scientifically known as Nannostomus trifasciatus, is a freshwater fish native to South America.
It’s found in the Amazon River basin in Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, as well as in the Negro River basin and Guyana.
This fish lives in freshwater environments near the bottom (benthopelagic) with a preferred pH range of 5.5 to 7.0 and water hardness up to 4 dH.
Ideally, it thrives in tropical temperatures between 75°F to 82°F (24°C to 28°C).
| Water Temperature: | 75°F to 82°F (24°C to 28°C) |
| Water pH: | 5.5 to 7.0 pH |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Three-lined Pencilfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters)
Three-lined Pencilfish is a small fish. It grows up to 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters) long.
The maximum recorded weight for this fish is 0.41 grams.
Three-lined Pencilfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Lebiasinidae |
| Genus: | Nannostomus |
| Scientific Name: | Nannostomus trifasciatus |
| Also Known As: | Three-lined Pencilfish, Three-stripe Pencilfish |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |