Striped Headstander Care Guide
Anostomus anostomus is a striped headstander from the Amazon and Orinoco basins that swims head-down and grazes on algae, plant matter and small invertebrates.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Anostomus anostomus is a headstander of the family Anostomidae, the toothed headstanders. It has an elongated body crossed by bold dark lateral stripes and characteristically swims at a head-down angle. FishBase gives a maximum length of about 16 cm total length.
Taxonomy
- Family: Anostomidae
- Genus: Anostomus
- Scientific name: Anostomus anostomus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Amazon and Orinoco River basins and Suriname. It is a benthopelagic freshwater fish that frequents vegetated and rocky areas where it grazes on surfaces.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Group size: 5 or more, or keep singly to limit conflict
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- Provide rockwork and current; expect grazing on soft plants
Diet
FishBase describes the species as both a limnivore and omnivore, with adults feeding on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. In the aquarium it should receive a varied diet including vegetable matter and algae, supplemented with small live and frozen foods. It will graze on soft aquatic plants.
Compatibility
This is a semi-aggressive, mid-water fish that can be territorial toward conspecifics. It is best kept either singly or in a larger group of five or more to spread aggression, alongside robust tankmates such as larger tetras and plecos. Small or delicate fish and soft-leaved plants are at risk.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2020).
Striped Headstander (Anostomus anostomus) Breeding Guide
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).