Red Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi "Red")

Red Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi "Red") is a calm South American schooling fish with warm gold body colour, a dark side stripe and red highlights in the fins. It is best shown in a planted aquarium where the group can settle, feed confidently and display natural behaviour.

Quick facts

Care and setup

Keep Red Golden Pencilfish in a mature aquarium with plants, floating cover and open mid-to-upper swimming space. A group of six or more helps them feel secure; larger groups usually look better and behave more naturally. They dislike rough tank mates and sudden water swings.

Use gentle filtration and regular water changes. Soft to moderately hard freshwater suits them well, especially when the aquarium has shaded areas and calm feeding zones.

Feeding

Offer small flakes, micro pellets, daphnia, cyclops, baby brine shrimp and other fine foods. Their small mouths make food size important, so crush dry foods where needed and feed lightly.

Tank mates

Good companions include other calm pencilfish, small tetras and peaceful bottom fish. Compare with Three-Lined Pencilfish, Dwarf Pencilfish, Beckfordi Pencilfish and Coral Red Pencilfish. For a quiet tetra-style companion, see Green Neon Tetra.

Arrival and guarantee

Order Red Golden Pencilfish when your aquarium is mature, stable and ready for a peaceful group. Livestock is packed for dispatch across the UK and sent by a licensed live-animal courier where live-animal shipping applies. Livestock orders are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

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For a pencilfish group, compare Three-Lined Pencilfish, Dwarf Pencilfish, Beckfordi Pencilfish, Coral Red Pencilfish.