Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Kissing prochilodus
No federal permit to keepKissing prochilodus
Semaprochilodus insignis
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Prochilodontidae (Prochilodus characins)
Semaprochilodus insignis, the kissing prochilodus or flag-tailed prochilodus, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouth characiformes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 42 in long and 18 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 8.7 in / 22 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 5.5–7.2.
- Hardness: 0–15 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a herbivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 59 × 24 in (roughly 143 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 73–84 °F, pH 5.5–7.2, 1–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament fights its own; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This species is quite unfussy regarding decor, but if you want to keep it in natural surroundings a biotope setup would be very simple to arrange.”
- Diet: “Though omnivorous it's primarily a herbivore.”
- Tankmates: “It's aggressive towards its own kind when kept in small numbers, but can be maintained in groups of six or more in larger tanks.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Prochilodus characins
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American river, floodplain and lake fishes that graze organic sediments and migrate seasonally to spawn. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For one adult Semaprochilodus insignis, provide at least 150 × 60 × 60 cm (about 540 L); groups need more space.
- Provide river sand, peripheral roots or driftwood and open swimming space.
- Retain algae-covered grazing surfaces.
- Expect soft-leaved plants to be eaten.
- Provide an established biofilter and quarantine new fish; monitor ammonia and nitrite.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 73.4–84.2°F |
Diet
- Algae wafers and vegetable-rich prepared foods.
- Blanched spinach, lettuce, cucumber or zucchini.
- Small frozen Daphnia or bloodworms as supplements.
Social life
- S. insignis may fight in small groups: keep one, or at least six in substantially larger quarters; choose compatible medium-to-large companions.
Health watch
- Nutritional deficiencies from inadequate vegetable-rich foods.
- Ammonia toxicity from biofilter failure.
- Freshwater ich and introduced parasites.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is native to central and western parts of the Amazon basin. It is migratory, moving in large groups into whitewater rivers to spawn, afterwards returning to blackwater and clearwater rivers, as well as flooded forests.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Semaprochilodus insignis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 5.5–7.2, hardness 15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Grazing on aquatic plants. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 64°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–84% on average (driest month about 78%) |
| Rainfall | about 2319 mm a year |
Measured at 149 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Semaprochilodus insignis, the kissing prochilodus or flag-tailed prochilodus, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouth characiformes. It is native to central and western parts of the Amazon basin. It is migratory, moving in large groups into whitewater rivers to spawn, afterwards returning to blackwater and clearwater rivers, as well as flooded forests. It is important in fisheries and sometimes seen in the aquarium trade, but requires a relatively large tank. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 24 in (about 143 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Semaprochilodus insignis Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- FAO: Peces nativos de agua dulce de América del Sur con interés para la acuicultura Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
