Burgess's Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras burgessi is a black-and-white cory endemic to the upper Rio Negro in Brazil, adapted to soft, acidic blackwater.
Overview
Corydoras burgessi is an armoured catfish of the family Callichthyidae, endemic to the upper Rio Negro basin in Brazil. It is a black-and-white cory carrying a pale patch of pigmentation anterior to the dorsal fin. The species is peaceful and gregarious.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras burgessi
Habitat
The type locality is the Rio Unini, a tributary of the Rio Negro in Amazonas, Brazil. It inhabits blackwater tributaries and flooded forest with tea-coloured, low-hardness, low-conductivity water that can be markedly acidic, with pH reported as low as 4.0-6.0 in nature.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (base of at least 80×30 cm)
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (20-28 °C reported in nature)
- pH: 5.5-7.0
- GH: 1-8 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
- Substrate: fine sand with driftwood and leaf litter
Diet
A foraging omnivore that accepts sinking dried foods together with live and frozen items such as bloodworm and Tubifex. A varied diet is recommended rather than relying on leftovers.
Compatibility
Corydoras burgessi is peaceful and gregarious and should be maintained in groups of at least six. It suits soft-water community tanks with tetras, rasboras and otocinclus, and should be kept away from aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
Females grow larger and become noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males when carrying eggs. Spawning can be triggered with large (50-70%) cooler water changes and increased oxygenation; eggs are scattered on plants or spawning mops, hatch in about 3-4 days, and fry accept microworm and Artemia nauplii once the yolk sac is absorbed.