Strawberry Leporinus (Leporinus granti)
The Strawberry Leporinus is relatively rare in the hobby, stunning, very hardy and quite active and will make an excellent community fish alongside medium to large species. However, these fish can get moderately large so make sure you keep them in an appropriately-sized aquarium.
The Strawberry Leporinus is generally peaceful with fish of a similar size, although the adults may be somewhat territorial with each other. They can nip on fins, so choose their tank mates carefully. Ideal tankmates for the Strawberry Leporinus could include large South American Cichlids like Severums, larger Tetras, medium to large-sized Barbs, Headstanders Catfish and Plecos. However, you should avoid housing these fish with smaller fish species as they will be consumed or species with intricate finnage as they may get nipped.
It is advisable to keep the aquarium covered with a tight lid as they are exceptional jumpers and can jump long distances.
The ideal aquarium setup for Strawberry Leporinus would contain a sandy bottom with several pieces of bogwood and smooth rocks, so they have places to hide if they feel threatened. These fish will swim head-down, continually grazing on algae. If there is no algae present, they will nibble on the leaves of plants, so artificial plants are recommended for the aquarium.
The Strawberry Leporinus has an elongated body, a narrow tail and an arched back. Their bodies are a pinkish-orange colour contrasted with differently-sized scattered black blotches. The dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins have an orangy hue, and the anal fin matches the body colours.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leporinus granti |
| Year Described | 1912 |
| Other Names | None |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Characiformes |
| Family | Anostomidae |
| Genus | Leporinus |
| Origins | French Guiana |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom - Middle |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Trios |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
| Lifespan | up to 10 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 5.0 - 7.5 |
| GH | 1 - 15 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 68 - 82℉ 20 - 27.8℃ | |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Strawberry Leporinus will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Tank Mates
1 interesting tank mate ideas for the Strawberry Leporinus could include:
Sexual Dimorphism
It is relatively challenging to differentiate between the male and female Strawberry Leporinus. The only noticeable difference is that females are typically larger and slightly more rounder in the body than males.