Loretoensis Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras loretoensis is a small peaceful catfish from the upper Amazon in Peru, kept in groups on fine sand in soft, slightly acidic water.
Overview
Corydoras loretoensis is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Nijssen and Isbrücker in 1986. It is a small Peruvian species native to the upper Amazon. It carries a dark midline and a contrasting silvery body, and like other corydorad catfish it is capable of facultative air-breathing.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras loretoensis
- Author: Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1986
- Recognised combination: Hoplisoma loretoense (Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1986)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the upper Amazon River basin, and Seriously Fish gives the type locality as the upper Amazon in Peru. It is a tropical freshwater, demersal fish. Natural and aquarium setups use fine sand with smooth rocks, bogwood and dense vegetation, with good water circulation and oxygenation.
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
- Size: 4-5 cm (FishBase max 3.6 cm SL)
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore. Seriously Fish reports it accepts sinking dried foods plus small live and frozen options such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and chopped earthworm; a varied diet maintains condition.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes it as very peaceful and well suited to community tanks with small, calm species. It should be maintained in a group of at least six for confidence and activity, and kept away from aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
According to Seriously Fish, breeding follows typical Corydoras protocols in a bare-bottom or sand-bottomed tank with sponge filtration, using a 2:1 male-to-female ratio. Eggs hatch in three to four days, and fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii as first foods. Females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males and generally grow larger.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 25 April 2014).