Golden Pencilfish

Golden Pencilfish

Nannostomus anomalus

💧 Freshwater ✌️ Peaceful 🟡 Moderate 🍽️ Omnivore Schooling (6+)

A compact pencilfish with a warm golden body and a single dark lateral band. Smaller and rounder-bodied than most pencilfish species.

Tank Size

10 gal
minimum (15+ preferred)

Temperature

73–81°F
23–27°C

pH Range

5.5–7
water acidity

Max Size

1.2"
3.0 cm

Lifespan

3–5 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Top
preferred zone

Care Notes

Prefers soft, slightly acidic water. Keep in groups in a planted tank with floating cover. Peaceful and undemanding once settled.

Feeding

Micro pellets, baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and crushed flakes.

Compatible Tank Mates

Neon Tetra 1.5" Cardinal Tetra 2" Rummy Nose Tetra 2" Ember Tetra 0.8" Congo Tetra 3.5" Glowlight Tetra 1.5" Harlequin Rasbora 2" Chili Rasbora 0.7" Celestial Pearl Danio 1" Zebra Danio 2" Bloodfin Tetra 2" Lemon Tetra 1.5"

Use Caution With

Black Skirt Tetra 2.5" Serpae Tetra 1.75" Buenos Aires Tetra 3" Silvertip Tetra 2" Colombian Tetra 2.5" Giant Danio 4" Blue Tetra 2.5" Long-Finned Serpae Tetra 1.8" Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid 3" Firemouth Cichlid 6" Electric Blue Acara 6" Kribensis 4"

Incompatible With

White Cloud Mountain Minnow 1.5" Angelfish 6" Oscar 14" Discus 8" Jack Dempsey 10" Convict Cichlid 5" Green Terror 8" Severum 8" Blood Parrot Cichlid 8" Texas Cichlid 12" Pike Cichlid 10" Salvini Cichlid 8"

Check Compatibility

Want to check if Golden Pencilfish is compatible with a specific fish? Use our compatibility checker to build your complete tank.