Banded Allotoca
Allotoca goslinei
The Banded Allotoca (Allotoca goslinei) is a semi-aggressive fish that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 90 litres (24 US gallons), water held at 64-73°F, and a pH of 7-8.5. Always keep a group of at least 5 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
North America (Mexico)
- Central America & Mexico
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Banded Allotoca Tank Setup
A tank of at least 90 litres (24 US gallons) works well. Keep the water at 64-73°F with a pH around 7-8.5, and set up both cover and open swimming space where they spend most of their time (Mid-bottom). Always keep a group of at least 5 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour.
What Do Banded Allotocas Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Banded Allotoca Tank Mates
Cool water preference; sensitive to heat The Banded Allotoca is semi-aggressive, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's a known fin-nipper, so avoid bettas, guppies, and other slow, long-finned fish. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 5 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Banded Allotocas Good for Beginners?
Doable once you test water regularly and catch problems before fish look sick. If this is your first tank, pick something more forgiving and come back later.
Banded Allotoca - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Banded Allotocas need?
Banded Allotocas need a tank of at least 90 litres (24 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Banded Allotocas should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 5. Banded Allotocas are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Banded Allotocas need?
Keep them at 64-73°F with a pH of 7-8.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Banded Allotocas eat?
Banded Allotocas are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Banded Allotocas good for beginners?
Banded Allotocas are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Common mistakes with Banded Allotocas
- Buying fewer than 5 - Banded Allotocas need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
- Mixing with long-finned fish - Banded Allotocas will nip at bettas, angelfish, and other fish with flowing fins, causing stress and infection risk.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Banded Allotocas
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- AxolotlPredator - Axolotl will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Akar BettaPredator - Akar Betta will eat or injure smaller tank mates
