Lebiasinidae

10 species

The pencil fishes are a family (Lebiasinidae) of freshwater fishes found in Costa Rica, Panama, and South America. They are usually small and are known as ornamental fishes in aquaria, including popular fishes such as the various pencil fish and the splashing tetra.

Lebiasinids are small, cylindrical fish, ranging from 2 to 18 cm (0.8 to 7.1 in) in adult length. They prey on insect larvae, especially those of mosquitos. The family includes the voladoras (genera Lebiasina and Piabucina), mostly found in highlands of the north Andes, the Guiana Shield and Central America, but the other species are mainly lowland fish inhabiting the Orinoco, Amazon and Paraguay River basins, and rivers of the Guianas.

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Nannostomus unifasciatus

Nannostomus unifasciatus, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: unifasciatus = one band), commonly known as the one-lined pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus...

Copella arnoldi

Copella arnoldi, commonly known as the splash tetra or the splashing tetra, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Lebiasinidae. It is native to South America.The fish is named in honor of German aquarist Johann Paul Arnold...

Nannostomus beckfordi

Nannostomus beckfordi, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; beckfordi = in honor of British naturalist, F.J.B. Beckford), commonly known as the golden pencil fish or Beckford's pencil fish, is a freshwater...

Nannostomus marginatus

Nannostomus marginatus, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: marginatus = marginated), commonly known as the dwarf pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus...

Nannostomus eques

Nannostomus eques, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: eques = horseman), commonly known as the diptail pencilfish or brown pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the...

Nannostomus mortenthaleri

Nannostomus mortenthaleri, commonly known as the coral red pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is one of the most colourful of the genus, being suffused with a bright coral red colouration...

Nannostomus trifasciatus

Nannostomus trifasciatus, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: trifasciatus = three bands), commonly known as the three-lined or three-stripe pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish...

Nannostomus anduzei

Nannostomus anduzei (common name: Anduzi's pencilfish) is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus Nannostomus in the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, particularly the upper Orinoco and Rio...

Nannostomus bifasciatus

Nannostomus bifasciatus, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: bifasciatus = two bands), is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is commonly known as...

Nannostomus espei

Nannostomus espei, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; espei = in honor of tropical fish importer/exporter, Heinrich Espe), commonly known as Espe's pencilfish or barred pencilfish, is a freshwater species...