Striped Headstander (Anostomus anostomus) Breeding Guide

Breeding the striped headstander Anostomus anostomus: a large Amazon-Orinoco anostomid bred commercially but with no documented home-aquarium spawning protocol.

Overview

Anostomus anostomus, the striped headstander, is a member of the family Anostomidae widespread throughout the Amazon and Orinoco river systems in Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana, reaching about 150-200 mm standard length (Seriously Fish); Wikipedia notes it grows to roughly 20 cm. It is a large, head-down swimming characin that is not a typical home-breeding subject.

Sexing

According to Seriously Fish, mature females grow slightly larger and tend to be rounder-bellied than males. No further reliable sexing characters were present in the opened sources.

Breeding Setup

No home-aquarium breeding setup is documented for this species in the opened sources. Seriously Fish indicates the species is apparently bred on a commercial basis in both South America and Asia, but provides no details of the spawning method, so a reliable hobby protocol cannot be given.

Common Challenges

The principal obstacle to captive breeding is the lack of any documented spawning behaviour for this species combined with its large adult size, which demands a very spacious aquarium. Reported commercial production does not translate into a published home-aquarium method (Seriously Fish, Wikipedia).