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My lfs has a load of these guys in at the moment, they look like a really interesting active fish. Fish base says that they will only grow to about 6-8 cm. Interestingly they are labelled in the lfs as hoplosternum pectorale, someone hasnt bee keeping up to date.

Has anyone got any experiences of keeping this fish, I have some room in my aquarium with lepthoplosternum pectorale written all over it and I would like to know more before I buy.

They are supposedly omnivorous, but is there anything they specifically like. It seems that they are best kept indevidually unles breeding, I this true?

cheers

You can keep them in a small group, one male and two or three females is best, without much difficulties. They'll eat most food but wormlike, bottom-dwelling prey is best liked, e.g. tubifex and (RED) mosquito larvae. Like all hoplos the male will guard the nest so if you want more males your tank should have more suitable nesting places, big leaves near the surface to rest on while on guard duty, spaces for the females to retreat to after mating, that sort of thing.

Greetz Pectorale