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  • Hoplosternum littorale
  • Hoplosternum littorale
  • Hoplosternum littorale
  • Hoplosternum littoraleClose-up of mouth and barbels
  • Hoplosternum littoraleMale
  • Hoplosternum littoraleTunapuna Market, Trinidad
  • Hoplosternum littoraleFemale
  • Hoplosternum littoraleDorsal view
  • Hoplosternum littoraleAlbino
  • Hoplosternum littoraleAlbino
  • Hoplosternum littoraleStamp
  • Hoplosternum littorale
  • Hoplosternum littoraleBubblenest
  • Hoplosternum littoraleBubblenest
  • Hoplosternum littoraleMale building nest
  • Hoplosternum littoraleEggs
  • Hoplosternum littoraleNewly hatched fry
  • Hoplosternum littoraleSeven days old
  • Hoplosternum littoraleFour weeks old
  • Hoplosternum littorale
Hop to next section All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name Hoplosternum littorale    (Hancock, 1828)
Common Names Fork Tailed Hoplo
Atipa-pansermalle (Denmark), Brown Hoplo, Currito (International)
Type Locality Demerara, Guyana.
Synonym(s) Callichthys albidus, Callichthys chiquitos, Callichthys laevigatus, Callichthys littoralis, Callichthys melampterus, Callichthys subulatus, Cascadura maculocephala, Cataphractops melampterus, Hoplosternum laevigatum, Hoplosternum littorale daillyi, Hoplosternum littoralis, Hoplosternum littoralis daillyi, Hoplosternum schreineri, Hoplosternum shirui, Hoplosternum stevardii, Hoplosternum thoracatum cayennae
Pronunciation hop low STERN um - litt oh RAL
Etymology Hoplosternum: From the Greek hoplon, meaning shield and sternum, meaning breast; in reference to the prominent coracoid bones on the breast. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 240mm or 9.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Sexing Breeding males develop enlarged, red pectoral spines with hooks at the tips that are used to defend territories against other males.
General Remarks Grows to about 2 inches in 2 months; however, rarely exceeds 10 inches.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Most Cis-Andean South American river drainages north of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there)
La Plata (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Ceará State Rivers, Jaguaribe, Salgado (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category
Least Concern
, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
pH 5.9 - 7.2
Temperature 18.0-24.0°C or 64.4-75.2°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters Slightly hard or mildly brackish water - natural habitat 500-2000 microS/cm.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Shouldn't be hard to feed. Eats insects, insect larvae and even detritus. User data.
Breeding Males build floating nests in vegetation near shore that consist of bubbles covered with plant material. Eggs are released by the female below the nest. The male fertilizes them and then takes them into his mouth and blows them up into the floating nest. The eggs hatch in about four days.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Zoological Journal, London v. 4, pp 244.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars!
There are 7 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Hoplosternum littorale QR code LFS label creator
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Last Update 2025 Jan 02 01:37 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)