Bishop toothcarp

1) Where they come from (quick backstory)

Bishop toothcarp (Brachyrhaphis episcopi) are little Central American livebearers. You’ll see them tied to Costa Rica and Panama—think warm streams, ditches, and creek edges with plants, leaf litter, and a bit of current. They’re used to changeable conditions, which is part of why they’re fun… and why they can get a little scrappy in a small tank.

2) Setting up their tank

Give them more swimming room than you’d expect for their size. They’re active, and the males in particular like to posture and chase. I’ve had the best luck starting at a 20 long for a small group, and bigger just makes everything easier.

• Tank size: 20 long minimum for a group; 29–40 breeder feels “right” if you want calmer behavior
• Temp: mid-70s°F (around 24–26°C) works well; they don’t need it hot
• pH/hardness: adaptable, but they look best and breed easiest in neutral to slightly hard water
• Filtration: sponge filter or a HOB with a prefilter sponge (saves fry and keeps flow gentle)
• Flow: moderate is fine; they’ll use the whole tank if there’s room
• Layout: plants + open lanes—think ‘bushy edges’ with a clear center

I like a darker substrate and some leaf litter (catappa/oak) if your water tolerates it. It makes them feel bolder and shows their patterning better. Floating plants help too—less glare, less stress, more natural behavior.

3) What to feed them

They’re not picky, but they do better with variety. In my tanks they act like tiny predators—always hunting—so a mix of small prepared foods and meaty stuff keeps color and energy up.

• Staples: quality micro pellets or small community pellets, plus a decent flake
• Frozen: baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, chopped bloodworms (treat, not every day)
• Live (if you can): grindal worms, live bbs, daphnia—great for conditioning and for fry growth
• Veg/roughage: spirulina flake or an algae-based food a couple times a week

4) Behavior and tankmates

They’re lively and confident. Males spar and show off, and in tight quarters that turns into real chasing. They’re not “terror fish,” but they’re also not as chill as endlers.

• Keep them in a group: 1 male to 2–3 females is a nice starting ratio
• More females = less nonstop attention on any one fish
• Lots of cover reduces fin nips and stress
• They’ll absolutely snack on tiny fry if they can catch them

Tankmates should be quick, not delicate, and preferably not long-finned. Think hardy tetras, danios, smaller barbs, Corydoras, bristlenose, and many rainbowfish in bigger setups. I’d skip fancy guppies, slow gouramis, and anything that gets bullied easily.

5) Breeding tips (they’re livebearers, so… yeah)

They breed like livebearers do: often, and without asking your permission. If males and females are together, expect fry sooner or later. The trick isn’t getting babies—it’s getting any babies to grow up.

• Best approach: heavily planted tank (guppy grass/hornwort) so fry can vanish into cover
• If you want numbers: move a pregnant female to a separate, cycled fry tank and return her after she drops
• Feed fry: crushed flake, powdered fry food, and baby brine shrimp for faster growth
• Do frequent small water changes in fry tanks; they grow noticeably faster

6) Common problems to watch for

Most issues with bishop toothcarps are tank-size and water-quality problems disguised as “mean fish” or “mysterious deaths.” They’re active eaters and fairly high-waste for their size, so the tank can go downhill faster than you expect.

• Fin nipping / constant chasing: usually too small a tank, too many males, or not enough cover
• Bloat/stringy poop: overfeeding rich foods, not enough variety, or internal parasites in new stock
• Ich after purchase: stress + temperature swings; quarantine new fish if you can
• Fry disappearing: adults will hunt them—add plant mass or separate the fry

If you keep their water clean, give them room, and feed a mix of foods, they’re honestly a blast—busy, bold little livebearers with way more personality than most people expect.