Pink Corydoras (Corydoras axelrodi) Care Guide
Corydoras axelrodi is a peaceful armoured catfish from the Rio Meta basin in Colombia, with a pinkish body and a broken dark midline stripe.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras axelrodi is an armoured catfish of the family Callichthyidae. It has a pinkish body and a single dark midline stripe broken into a dotted pattern. It is a peaceful, group-living species.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras axelrodi
- Common synonyms: Axelrod's Cory
Habitat
The species occurs in the Rio Meta basin in Colombia, South America. It is a demersal freshwater fish and shows facultative air-breathing.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
Diet
An omnivore (trophic level around 3.0) that forages on the bottom, accepting sinking prepared foods alongside live and frozen items.
Compatibility
A peaceful bottom dweller best kept in groups of six or more on soft substrate. Suitable companions include tetras and rasboras; aggressive cichlids should be avoided.
Breeding
Corydoras axelrodi is an egg-depositor. During spawning the female holds 2-4 eggs between her pelvic fins while the male fertilises them, the pair repeating the process until roughly 100 eggs are attached. Breeding difficulty is considered intermediate.
Pink Corydoras (Corydoras axelrodi) Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras axelrodi is apparently endemic to the Rio Meta drainage in Colombia, its type locality, and reaches 45-50 mm standard length. It is an egg-depositing catfish bred with the standard Corydoras cooler-water trigger.
Sexing
Females tend to grow larger, and sexually mature individuals are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males.
Conditioning
Condition the group using a ratio of two males per female. Keep the fish within the species range of 22-26 degrees C, pH 5.0-7.0 and a hardness of 18-215 ppm.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
When the females are visibly full of eggs, perform a large (50-70%) water change with cooler water and increase oxygenation and flow. Eggs are normally deposited on the aquarium glass, but it is recommended to provide alternatives in the form of fine-leaved vegetation or fine spawning mops.
Egg & Fry Care
Incubation is normally 3-4 days, and once the fry have fully absorbed their yolk sacs they accept small live foods such as microworm and Artemia nauplii. Young fish appear less susceptible to ailments when maintained over a thin layer of sand rather than in a bare-bottomed arrangement.