Bony fish · Characiformes · Anostomidae

Banded Leporinus

Leporinus fasciatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A fish with a cylindrical, elongated body, yellowish with broad vertical black bands, native to the fast-flowing rivers of South America. It feeds on plant matter, seeds, fallen fruit and invertebrates, and its projecting front teeth let it tear off tough vegetation.

Size

20 cm – 30 cm

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterOmnivore Diurnal Colonial Fish Freshwater

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Fun facts

Its front teeth, flat and protruding like a rodent's, give it its Spanish name of leporino, meaning hare-toothed.
It is an exceptional jumper: in captivity it escapes through any gap if the aquarium is not well covered.
The number of dark bands changes with age: juveniles have fewer than adults.
Its black transverse bands on a yellow background are disruptive camouflage: they break up the fish's outline among the vegetation and the reflections of moving water.
It has prominent incisor teeth, almost like buck teeth, which give it a rabbit-like look and serve to tear off vegetation and scrape algae from stones.
It is a remarkable jumper: in an aquarium it will easily leap out of the tank if it is not well covered, a reflection of its life in flowing rivers where it must clear obstacles.
The number of bands varies with age and with population, which has led to it being confused with other species in the genus.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Fast-flowing rivers and rapids of the Amazon and Orinoco basins

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leporinus_fasciatus