Bandit Corydoras (Corydoras metae) Care Guide
Corydoras metae is a peaceful armoured catfish from the Rio Meta basin in Colombia, marked by a black eye-mask and a dark saddle along the back.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras metae, the bandit cory, is a small armoured catfish of the family Callichthyidae described by Eigenmann in 1914. It is recognised by the dark "mask" over its eyes and a dark band running from the dorsal fin to the caudal peduncle, which terminates at the tail base. A peaceful schooling species, it is endemic to the Rio Meta basin.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras metae
- Described by: Eigenmann, 1914
Habitat
The species is endemic to the Rio Meta basin in Colombia, a tributary of the Rio Orinoco. It is a demersal freshwater fish that lives over soft substrates and demonstrates facultative air-breathing, allowing it to gulp atmospheric air in low-oxygen conditions.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.2
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
An omnivore (trophic level around 3.0), it forages along the bottom. It readily takes sinking pellets, and benefits from live and frozen foods such as small worms, especially for conditioning.
Compatibility
A peaceful bottom dweller best kept in groups of six or more on soft sand to protect its delicate barbels. Suitable companions include tetras, Apistogramma and Otocinclus; aggressive cichlids should be avoided.
Breeding
Corydoras metae is an egg-depositor; breeding difficulty is considered intermediate.
Bandit Corydoras (Corydoras metae) Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras metae is endemic to the Rio Meta basin in Colombia and reaches 40-50 mm standard length. Like other members of the genus it is an egg-depositing catfish that spawns in the classic T-position and is bred using a cooler-water change as the trigger.
Sexing
Females tend to grow larger, and sexually mature individuals are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when gravid. This is most obvious when the fish are viewed from above.
Conditioning
Condition the group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods until the females are visibly full of eggs. A working sex ratio is two males per female. Maintain the fish within the species range of 20-26 degrees C, pH 6.0-7.5 and a hardness of 90-215 ppm.
Breeding Setup
A separate spawning tank can be used with a bare bottom, sand or fine gravel. Provide egg-deposition alternatives such as fine-leaved vegetation or fine spawning mops in addition to the aquarium glass.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Trigger spawning with a large (50-70%) water change using cooler water, while increasing oxygenation and flow, repeated daily until the fish spawn. During the classic T-position the male grasps the female's barbels between his pectoral fin and body; the female forms a basket with her pelvic fins, depositing single eggs although up to 4 may be released, normally on the aquarium glass.
Egg & Fry Care
Incubation is normally 3-4 days. Once the fry have fully absorbed their yolk sacs they accept small live foods such as microworm and Artemia nauplii. Newly hatched fry benefit from a thin layer of sand substrate and require excellent water quality.