Beckford's Red Pencilfish - Nannostomus beckfordi

Product Details

Beckford’s Red Pencilfish – Nannostomus beckfordi

Beckford’s Red Pencilfish, Nannostomus beckfordi, is a slim, elegant South American characin with a distinctive pencil-like body shape and rich red to golden tones, especially in mature males. Also known as Beckford’s Pencilfish, Golden Pencilfish or Red Pencilfish, this small upper-water species is ideal for peaceful planted aquariums where it can display among stems, floating plants and shaded areas. It is hardy for a pencilfish, but it still does best in a calm, mature aquarium rather than a rough or overcrowded community setup.

Key Identification:
Common Name: Beckford’s Red Pencilfish
Other Names: Beckford’s Pencilfish, Golden Pencilfish, Red Pencilfish, Brown Pencilfish
Scientific Name: Nannostomus beckfordi
Fish Type: Pencilfish / Characin
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:
Nannostomus beckfordi is native to northern South America, including Guyana and parts of the Amazon basin. In the wild, it is associated with quiet small rivers, slow-flowing streams, swampy areas and vegetated margins where cover is plentiful and the current is gentle. These habitats often contain submerged plants, overhanging vegetation, leaf litter and shaded water, giving the fish plenty of places to feed and display.

Appearance & Adult Size:
This species has a slender, torpedo-shaped body with a small upturned mouth and a strong horizontal stripe running along the body. The red form shows warm red, copper or golden colouration, most noticeably in mature males, while females are usually fuller-bodied and less intensely coloured. Males may also show stronger contrast and brighter fin colour when displaying. Adults usually reach around 4–6 cm, depending on strain, age and conditions.

Aquarium Suitability:
Beckford’s Red Pencilfish is well suited to planted community aquariums, blackwater-inspired setups and calm species displays. It spends much of its time in the upper and middle levels, especially around floating plants and fine-leaved stems. This is not a fish for boisterous tanks, strong current or aggressive tank mates. It is particularly effective in aquascapes with subdued lighting, tannins, driftwood and open swimming space near the surface.

Recommended Aquarium Size:
A practical minimum aquarium size is around 60 litres for a group, with 80 litres or more preferred for a larger shoal and mixed community. A longer tank is better than a tall narrow aquarium, as the fish appreciate horizontal swimming space and surface cover.

Water Conditions:
Temperature: 23–27°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard
Additional Notes: Stable water quality is more important than chasing exact numbers. Gentle filtration, planted cover and calm surface movement are ideal. They can adapt to a range of aquarium conditions, but avoid sudden swings, poor water quality and very hard, alkaline extremes.

Temperament & Tank Mates:
Aquarium Category:
Community Fish

Beckford’s Red Pencilfish are generally peaceful, but males can be competitive with each other and may spar over small territories among plants. They should be kept in groups of at least six, with eight or more preferred to spread any chasing and encourage natural display behaviour. Suitable tank mates include small tetras, rasboras, dwarf cory-type catfish, peaceful dwarf cichlids, small gourami, Otocinclus and other calm community fish. Avoid fin-nippers, large predators, highly boisterous barbs, aggressive cichlids and very active surface fish that may stress them.

Feeding:
This species is a small omnivorous micropredator, feeding naturally on tiny insects, crustaceans, worms and other small invertebrates. In the aquarium, offer fine flakes, micro pellets and small floating or slow-sinking granules as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, baby brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and finely chopped bloodworm. Their small mouths mean foods should be appropriately sized, and they often feed best from the surface and upper water levels.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:
Beckford’s Red Pencilfish usually swim with a slight upward angle, hovering among plants and making short, controlled movements rather than constant fast swimming. Males may flare, chase and display to each other, showing their best red colour when settled. They are confident in a group but can become shy if kept in low numbers or with aggressive tank mates. Spawning may occur among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, although adults may eat eggs if they are not removed.

Care Notes:
Keep in a proper group and provide a mature, well-planted aquarium with gentle flow. Floating plants are useful for confidence and colour. Avoid housing them with rough, fast-feeding or predatory fish. Feed small foods that suit their mouth size, and make sure they are not outcompeted at the surface. Regular water changes and stable conditions will help maintain colour, activity and long-term health.

Recommended For:
Beginner to intermediate

Availability:
Common to occasional; often available as captive-bred or commercially farmed stock, with red forms appearing regularly in the trade.

Image Disclaimer:
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, colour, pattern and markings can occur between individual fish.