Golden pencilfish

Nannostomus beckfordi, the golden pencilfish, is a small characin in the family Lebiasinidae, native to the Amazon and other river basins of northern South America. It has a slender, torpedo-shaped body with a golden sheen, a dark horizontal stripe from snout to tail, and flashes of red on the fins, especially in displaying males. It is a peaceful, hardy shoaling fish best kept in groups, where males show off color and gentle sparring. It suits a calm community of small, non-aggressive species and appreciates the company of its own kind. It does well in a well-planted aquarium with soft, slightly acidic water, subdued lighting, and floating plants for cover. It has a small mouth, so it should be fed fine flakes, micropellets, and small live or frozen foods such as daphnia and baby brine shrimp. It is an egg-scattering species that can be bred among fine-leaved plants, though adults will eat the eggs.