TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Family: Lebiasinidae (Pencilfishes)

Genus/species: Nannostomus eques

Diptail Pencilfish aka Brown Pencilfish 10286393965_fe0600ac47_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Small elongate fish with a brown lateral stripe extending from snout to caudal-fin base. Above the dark brown stripe a silver-grey stripe. A dark brown spot on each body scale except those forming part of the silver stripe. . Latin, nannus = small + Greek, stoma = mouth. Adult males have an enlarged anal fin. Max Length 5 cm

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America: central and upper Amazon. Found in sluggish tributaries, small rivers, and swampy zones, ofter where vegetation grows densely with submerged woody structures and leaf litter.

DIET IN THE WILD: Micropredator feeding on worms, crustaceans, insects and zooplankton.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous.

REMARKS: Has an interesting oblique swimming-style.

Flooded Amazon, Cardinal tetra exhibit

flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/10286393965/in/set-72157625825649576/

WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-18A

Ref. Fishbase, Seriouslyfish.com