Nannostomus eques

Nannostomus eques, (from the Greek: nanos = small, and the Latin stomus = relating to the mouth; from the Latin: eques = horseman),^[2][3] commonly known as the diptail, brown or hockey stick pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae.^[4] It was first described in 1876 by Franz Steindachner making it one of the first members of the genus to be discovered and described. It is fairly typical of members of this genus being a small, elongated fish with prominent horizontal stripes. It occurs quite widely in South America, having been recorded in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Guyana.^[5] It is also quite commonly met with in the aquarium trade where its habit of swimming and posturing at a 'snout-up' angle—one of two Nannostomus species to do so, the other being Nannostomus unifasciatus—makes it a popular choice.^[6]

A group of Nannostomus eques swimming in a freshwater aquarium, showing the characteristic oblique, 'snout-up' posture characteristic of the species.

Nannostomus eques
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Lebiasinidae
Genus:	Nannostomus
Species:	N. eques
Binomial name
Nannostomus eques Steindachner, 1876