Leopard Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras leopardus is a peaceful armored catfish from the western Amazon basin, often confused with the three-lined cory but with a longer snout.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras leopardus is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Myers in 1933. According to FishBase it occurs in the western Amazon River basin. It is very similar to, and often confused with, the three-lined cory; the leopard cory is distinguished by a longer, more pointed snout and a larger body. Several taxonomic sources now place it in the genus Brochis as Brochis leopardus.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras leopardus
- Author: Myers, 1933
- Recognised combination: Brochis leopardus (Myers, 1933)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the western Amazon River basin in South America. It is a tropical freshwater, demersal fish, meaning it lives close to the bottom of slow-moving rivers and tributaries.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Size: 5-7 cm (FishBase max 6.1 cm SL)
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore. As with other Corydoras it forages along the substrate and in aquaria should be offered sinking dried foods supplemented with small live and frozen foods. A soft sand substrate protects its delicate barbels while it sifts for food.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful, diurnal bottom-dweller suited to community aquaria with other calm species such as tetras, rasboras and otocinclus. It should be maintained in a group of at least six and kept away from aggressive cichlids.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 7 December 2020). FishBase notes the species enters both commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade.
Breeding Corydoras leopardus
Overview
Corydoras leopardus (also placed in the genus Brochis) is a callichthyid catfish of the western Amazon River basin. FishBase records a maximum length of about 6.1 cm SL, with a tolerance of pH 6.0-8.0, hardness 2-25 dH, and 22-25 C, and notes facultative air-breathing. It has a longer, more pointed snout and grows larger than the very similar three-line cory (formerly C. trilineatus), with which it is often confused. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Breeding Setup
Within the FishBase tolerances above, soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water is appropriate. As for related Corydoras, flat surfaces such as the aquarium glass, fine-leaved plants, or spawning mops serve as deposition sites, and a thin sand layer suits the fry.
Spawning Behaviour & Trigger
Note: species-specific spawning data for C. leopardus was not found in the consulted whitelisted sources, so the following reflects the documented breeding pattern for the genus rather than verified observations of this species. Corydoras typically spawn after a large cooler water change combined with increased oxygenation and flow; the female cups a small number of eggs between her pelvic fins in the so-called T-position while the male fertilises them, and the eggs are then attached to a chosen surface.
Egg & Fry Care
Following the genus pattern, eggs typically hatch within a few days; once fry absorb their yolk sacs they take small live foods such as microworm and brine shrimp (Artemia) nauplii. Excellent water quality is essential. These details follow the general Corydoras pattern and are not species-specific records for C. leopardus.