Anostomidae
fish family
Quick Summary
The Anostomidae family, commonly known as headstanders, are small freshwater fish native to South America. They typically reach a maximum length of 20 cm (8 inches). Their name comes from their unique feeding behavior, where they swim at an angle with their heads pointed downwards to feed from the bottom. A notable example is the striped headstander (Anostomus anostomus), which has alternating yellow-orange and black stripes and bright orange fins. Some species of headstanders are also kept as aquarium fish.1
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