# Nannostomus trifasciatus (3 Lined Pencil Fish)



## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

I saw a picture of this fish online and thought it would look great in a big school in my 60g that I will be putting together in the middle of the summer. Does anyone have experience with these fish. I was thinking a rather large school 25+ with maybe one other school of tetra.(rummynose, cardinals)

The main question I have is whether they are close schoolers. Will they act like the rummynose or cardinals, or will they scatter around like guppies.

I had previously believed all tetras school well. I bought nine silver tip tetras and they just chased eachother around scattering themselves around the tank.

One more thing how big do they really get 6cm. 6cm is a little bigger than I imagined but I think this size is still do able. I noticed someone thought they where aggressive on aquahobby(see link). Do you think they would be a problem with rummynose or cardinals.

http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php
List as only 4.5 cm:
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_pencil3.php


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I've never kept them, but they are beautiful.

There's a conversation buried in this forum from about a year ago talking about aggression with Pencil fish, but I can't remember if it was the one you're looking at or not.


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

This is a great fish. They don't really school unless frightened. for the most part males will setup territories and display towards females while chasing other males. They only appear to be aggressive towards eachother and not other species. And aggressive only means pushing eachother around the tank. 

As far as size goes they stay fairly small and don't really exceed 1.5-2". It's a beautiful fish!

David


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

I have 3 pencilfish (sp ?) in a 72 gallon who are great fish. 2 of them hang out together, one is an outsider.

I got 8 more (sp ?) and had them quarantined in a 10 gal. They all were killed (by each other) one by one. Very aggressive. At least for a 10.


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

beckfordi and unifasciatus are considered more aggressive than the trifasciatus. A common name for the trifasciatus is Dwarf Pencil Fish. I haven't had any that have deliberately killed eachother and have housed them in everything from 20L to 65g tanks.

David


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

Well I guess I will still consider them. I was really looking for a different schooling fish. I guess I should stick with the classics. Maybe some rasboras. Due Rasboras school well. Thanks for all of the replies. 

Has anyone ever owned Boraras briggitae. What do you think of them do they school well.


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

I just did a search and it seems a few of you have this fish(Boraras briggitae). How well do you think it schools and do you think a school would be compatible with a cardinal or rummynose school. I like the small fish because I can put a lot in a tank and get a nice school. I also want to keep some shrimp in this tank.


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

sorry if I scared you away from the pencilfish- but I've kept a lot of fish and never had a killing spree like that one. Maybe just one psycho fish in the bunch. Then when he was done killing everyone he had nothing left to live for.

Good luck, can't help you w rasboras, but my cardinals school just fine. But they are probably frightened of the altums I put in a few months ago.


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

The schooling behavior of Rasboras briggitae is much different than cardinals and rummynose. Microrasboras have always been more of shoaling fish for me. They just maintain adjacent areas around eachother but don't necessarily school. Also size wise, they are much smaller than the cardinals and especially the rummynose. I personally don't find them to be a good match. 

The pencilfish that you eluded to earlier would make a nice contrast to your schooling fish. What are the dimensions of your tank?

David


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I also keep the briggitae's and merarah's (sp). As David said, they are more shoalers than schoolers.
I really like them though.  They are the perfect little fish for my 30 gallon shrimp tank.


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

48x15x17 about I think its a little more but you get the point. I would have preffered a deaper 48x18x18 or something like that but I couldnt pass up the deal for the 60g. I think One school of cardinals with a bunch of pencil fish could work. 

Would the pencil fish eat shrimp. I assume the babies wouldnt have a chance unless they hid really well. Could moderatly sized tigers survive. I bought 5 tigers before and I believe they where eaten by my apistos in my 29g. That was an expensive meal.


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

The mouths on those guys are small. Also these fish like to hang out in the plants for the most part unless displaying or chasing males from territories. I think for the most part your shrimp should be ok. Maybe establish a nice shrimp colony before adding the fish, and I think you'll be well off.

David


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

I was thinking about establishing the plants then adding shrimp and then the fish. Easier for me to get the money for all of it that way to. I read somewhere that they had small mouths or throats or something like that. I think thats what led me to researching them. I think a bunch of them and maybe a group of cardinals with a bunch of tigers or cherrys at the bottom could look really nice. Now I have to come up with a hardscape and figure out what plants I should get. Thanks for the help David, Jans and Vancat.


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