Easy
Red Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)
21–27°C · pH 5–8 · 41L
£3.99
Elegant South American pencilfish for quiet planted aquariums, best kept in a group with gentle tank mates and fine foods.
Easy to Moderate CareFreshwater FishNannostomus trifasciatusPeaceful FishPencilfishPlanted AquariumShoaling FishSouth American Characin
Care at a Glance
Scientific Name
Nannostomus trifasciatus
Max Adult Size
up to 5 cm
Care Level
Easy to moderate
Temperament
Peaceful, shy shoaling fish
Temperature
24–28°C
pH Range
5.5–7
Minimum Tank
80L
Diet
Fine flakes, micro pellets, daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and fine frozen foods
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Water Parameters
Temperature
24–28°C
24°CIdeal28°C
pH Level
5.5–7
5.5Ideal7
Nannostomus trifasciatus
Three-Lined Pencilfish (Nannostomus trifasciatus)
Peaceful
£5.99Sold Out
Shoal Pricing
— save up to 30%Shoaling fish: kept in a group they feel safer, stay calmer and show their best colour.
Your shoal
£48.00You save £11.90
Get a product-specific stock alert
Confirm your email, then we’ll send an availability message for this exact item if it returns within 180 days.
This request is only for this product—no newsletter or other promotions. A mail-provider retry may very rarely duplicate the same availability message. Unconfirmed addresses are removed after 48 hours. See our privacy policy.
Live arrival guaranteed. If they don’t arrive healthy, email us a short unboxing video the same day for a replacement or refund. Packed in oxygenated bags with insulation and heat packs when needed.
£19.95 tracked delivery — half price (£9.98) from £100.00, free from £200.00. One delivery charge however many fish you add — everything travels together with a licensed live-animal courier.
Read our reviews on Google (opens Google Business Profile in a new tab) or see verified buyer reviews and photos. Human support, careful packing and clear delivery updates for live aquatics.
Elegant South American pencilfish for quiet planted aquariums, best kept in a group with gentle tank mates and fine foods.
Easy to Moderate CareFreshwater FishNannostomus trifasciatusPeaceful FishPencilfishPlanted AquariumShoaling FishSouth American Characin
Care at a Glance
Scientific Name
Nannostomus trifasciatus
Max Adult Size
up to 5 cm
Care Level
Easy to moderate
Temperament
Peaceful, shy shoaling fish
Temperature
24–28°C
pH Range
5.5–7
Minimum Tank
80L
Diet
Fine flakes, micro pellets, daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and fine frozen foods
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Water Parameters
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Temperature
24–28°C
24°CIdeal28°C
pH Level
5.5–7
5.5Ideal7
Three-Lined Pencilfish (Nannostomus trifasciatus) is a slim South American characin with fine horizontal striping and a quiet, surface-oriented swimming style. It suits aquarists who want an elegant group fish for a planted or blackwater-style aquarium rather than a hectic community mix.
Quick facts
| Scientific name | Nannostomus trifasciatus |
|---|---|
| Adult size | 4-5 cm |
| Minimum aquarium | 80 litres or more for a group |
| Temperature | 24-28 C |
| pH | 5.5-7.0 |
| Temperament | Peaceful, shy shoaling fish |
| Diet | Fine dry, frozen and live foods |
Care and setup
Keep a group of eight or more in a mature aquarium with plants, floating cover and gentle flow. They show best colour when they feel secure, so avoid bright bare tanks and pushy tank mates.
Feeding
Feed small flakes, micro pellets, daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and fine frozen foods. Their small mouths mean modest portions are better than large sinking foods.
Tank mates
Choose calm fish that enjoy similar water. Useful comparisons include Red Golden Pencilfish, Dwarf Pencilfish, Coral Red Pencilfish, Green Neon Tetra and Blackwing Hatchetfish.
Arrival and guarantee
Order when the tank is mature, calm and ready for a 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.
You might also like
For similar peaceful fish, compare Red Golden Pencilfish, Dwarf Pencilfish, Coral Red Pencilfish and Green Neon Tetra.
Customer Reviews
No reviews for this item yet. Bought one? Honest reviews only, good or bad.
What customers say about ordering from us
4.6 on Google Maps, rated 4.6 out of 5 (opens in a new tab)4.4 · 91 shop reviews read them, rated 4.4 out of 5
- 4 out of 5Verified buyer
I have a small group of long finned mountain minnows. So was delighted to be able to order ten of this variety to increase the genetics in my tank . The ones I recieved are healthy but it’s to early to give a verdict on wether they are of a long finned type since they are small currently.
Gordon Walker · 23 Sept 2026
- 5 out of 5Verified buyer
100% success travel and "installation". Pleased with quality of purchase. The Siamese fighter a bit "shy" so have not yet seen him at his best yet but looking good. Happy customer. GG
George E Garratt · 21 Sept 2026
Reviews of our shop, collected by Judge.me, an independent third-party review collector. Newest first.