Taxonomy

Eigenmann, 1909

Primary, secondary and tertiary bands well developed. This species never shows an adipose fin.

Many of the numerous different populations/color-forms represent most likely indigenous species.

A revision of this group is expected to give very interesting results.

Synonyms

Nannostomus marginatus picturatus, Hoedeman, 1954

This name is mostly used for the form with a red blotch between the primary and secondary stripes on the caudal peduncle at the base of the tail fin, from Peru:

Distribution and habitat

Reported from the following areas: 

The rivers of French Guiana and Suriname.
The area of the lower Amazon in Pará, apparently also the upper Rio Branco (Roraima, Staeck [1998]
The middle and upper Rio Negro (Brazil) and the upper Orinoco (Venezuela)
The upper Amazon, the Rio Putumayo in Peru (on the border with Colombia), on the Rio Napo in Ecuador to the Rio Caqueta in Colombia and Orteguaza.
The Moa River, a tributary of the Jurua (Acre), in Brazil
The Rio Ampiyacu area and other locations in Peru (I have collected them on several different locations there)
The Leticia area in southern Colombia (I have collected them there)

Water parameters

PH : 4 - 6
ppm : As low as possible

My Experience

One of the best dither fish for my Apistogramma.
They eat everything I offer, they don't eat eggs or fry from other fish, they don't bother other fish much, they are active and show fabulous colors. A wonderful fish!

Breeding

They breed all the time in my tanks, among floating plants and in Javamoss.

Some fry continuousely grow up, even if there are dwarf cichlids in the same tank.