Aspidoras lakoi Care Guide
Aspidoras lakoi is a small Brazilian armoured catfish of the upper Parana basin, a peaceful schooling species for soft-sand aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Aspidoras lakoi is a small armoured catfish of the family Callichthyidae, subfamily Corydoradinae, described by Miranda-Ribeiro in 1949. Like other members of the genus Aspidoras, it is distinguished from Corydoras by a supraoccipital fontanel on the skull. The species name honours Carlos (Karoly) Lako, a Hungarian osteologist and taxidermist who worked in Brazil and collected the holotype.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Subfamily: Corydoradinae
- Genus: Aspidoras
- Scientific name: Aspidoras lakoi
- Described by: Miranda-Ribeiro, 1949
Habitat
According to FishBase and Wikipedia, the species occurs in the upper Parana River basin in Brazil. Aspidoras as a genus is endemic to Brazil and inhabits small and shallow streams draining the Brazilian Shield. The fish is freshwater and benthopelagic and is a facultative air-breather, gulping atmospheric air at the surface.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
- Substrate: soft sand
Diet
The species is an omnivore. According to Wikipedia it feeds on worms, benthic crustaceans, insects and plant matter, and FishBase reports a trophic level of about 3.0. In aquaria it accepts sinking prepared foods together with small live and frozen items.
Compatibility
A. lakoi is a peaceful, bottom-oriented schooling fish best kept in groups of six or more. It suits calm community aquaria with similarly peaceful tankmates such as small tetras and rasboras, and should not be combined with aggressive cichlids. Soft sand substrate protects its barbels.
Breeding
According to Wikipedia the species lays eggs in dense vegetation, and the adults do not guard the eggs.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2018).
Aspidoras lakoi Breeding Guide
Overview
Aspidoras lakoi is a small callichthyid catfish reaching about 4.0 cm in length, recorded from the upper Parana River basin in Brazil. Like other members of the genus it is an egg-depositor: according to Wikipedia it lays eggs in dense vegetation and the adults do not guard them. Detailed, species-specific captive breeding accounts are scarce, so the genus pattern is the most reliable guide.
Sexing
Reliable published sexing data for this species is limited. As is typical of small Aspidoras, mature females are expected to be broader and rounder-bodied than males when viewed from above, particularly when carrying eggs. Keeping a group of six or more raises the chance of obtaining a compatible pair.
Breeding Setup
- A small, mature, clean tank over fine sand
- Soft to moderately hard freshwater in the tropical range
- Fine-leaved plants and spawning mops as egg substrate
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Wikipedia documents only that the species spawns by scattering eggs in dense vegetation, without parental care. Following the well-documented genus pattern, a large cooler water change is the usual spawning stimulus for small Aspidoras; this is presented as a genus-level approach rather than a species-specific report.
Egg & Fry Care
Because the adults do not guard the eggs, protecting the clutch from being eaten is the main concern. No species-specific fry-rearing protocol is published; breeders typically rear the fry as for other small egg-scattering callichthyids, offering very small live foods once the fry are free-swimming.