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Silver Distichodus

Distichodus affinis

Freshwater West and central Africa

A shiny, high-bodied African characin with attractive red fin highlights. It is an unrepentant herbivore that will quickly shred and consume delicate live plants. Provide plenty of vegetable matter in its diet, and avoid housing it with slow, long-finned fish that might invite fin nipping.

18 cm adult length, drawn to scale. deep body.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 1 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 18 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 350 L, at least 120 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 40 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 23 to 27 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 6.2 to 7.4 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 4 to 14, KH 2 to 8 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Medium Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size Single fish is fine Not a schooling species.
Temperament Semi-aggressive Territorial: weak.
Swims in Middle water Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 10 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Some experience helps A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Jumps Yes Keep the tank covered.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Silver Distichodus is an herbivore that swims in the middle of the tank. It eats or uproots plants, so choose hard-leaved species or none. Give it some cover. It nips fins.

Tankmates

Works with

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.