三線鉛筆體長大概 4cm, 身體長有三條橫向黑帶, 上及中線黑帶較粗, 由吻部伸展至尾鰭前為止, 腹部下線黑帶較幼; 上唇, 胸斑, 尾鰭, 背鰭, 臂鰭, 腹鰭, 俱長有紅色的色斑; 個性尚算溫馴, 但同族之間也偶會互鬥, 飼養上宜種植一些浮水植物, 以作為牠們的安居之所
三線鉛筆產地分佈廣泛, 以下是節錄自seriouslyfish 對該種的產地報告:-
Type locality is ‘Amazon River near mouth of Rio Negro and Tabatinga, Brazil’, but this species is widespread throughout rivers of Guyana plus the western Amazon basin in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia.
Records exist from most major Amazon tributaries in this region including the Negro, Branco, Madeira, Guaporé/Iténez, Juruá, Japurá, Putomayo, Javari, Napo, Nanay, Ucayali, and Marañón.