False Bandit Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras melini is a peaceful armored catfish from the rios Negro, Caquetá and Orinoco, marked by a diagonal black band running into the tail.
Overview
Corydoras melini is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Lönnberg and Rendahl in 1930. It is often called the false bandit cory because it resembles C. metae but is distinguished by a diagonal black band that continues into the caudal fin. Some sources now place it in the genus Hoplisoma.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras melini
- Authors: Lönnberg & Rendahl, 1930
- Recognised combination: Hoplisoma melini (Lönnberg & Rendahl, 1930)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the upper Negro and Meta river basins. Seriously Fish reports it from tributaries of the rios Negro, Caquetá and Orinoco in north-western Brazil and east-central Colombia, with the type locality at the confluence of the rio Papurí and Uaupés. Aquarium setups use fine sand with driftwood and dried leaf litter.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (base around 80 × 30 cm)
- 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 5.0 cm SL)
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is an omnivorous forager. Seriously Fish notes it accepts sinking dried foods plus small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm and Tubifex, and that it cannot subsist on aquarium detritus alone, so varied feeding is required.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes it as peaceful and gregarious, best kept in groups of six. It suits community aquaria with small, calm tank mates such as tetras, rasboras and otocinclus, and should be kept away from aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
According to Seriously Fish, spawning is triggered with large water changes using cooler water at a 2:1 male-to-female ratio. Eggs are deposited on glass or vegetation and incubate for three to four days. Females grow larger and develop noticeably rounder, broader bodies when gravid.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 7 December 2020).