Pastaza Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras pastazensis is a long-snouted Ecuadorian and Peruvian catfish, peaceful and gregarious, kept in groups on soft sand.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras pastazensis is a long-snouted armoured catfish. Seriously Fish gives a standard length of 60-70 mm and FishBase records 6.1 cm SL. It is a peaceful, gregarious bottom-dweller for soft-water community aquaria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras pastazensis
Habitat
Seriously Fish reports the species from the upper Pastaza river basin in Ecuador and the Rios Ucayali and Puinahua in Peru, with the type locality near a tributary of the Rio Bobonaza in Ecuador. FishBase associates it with the Pastaza basin.
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: 6-8 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
A foraging omnivore. Seriously Fish notes it accepts sinking dried foods plus small live and frozen items such as bloodworm and Tubifex, and stresses it requires a varied diet rather than tank leftovers.
Compatibility
Peaceful and gregarious; Seriously Fish recommends keeping it in groups of at least 6-8 individuals. Like other Corydoras its stiffened pectoral spines can pierce skin, so it should be handled carefully.
Breeding
An egg-depositor. Seriously Fish notes sexual dimorphism with females larger and rounder when gravid, and suggests a base footprint of about 90 by 30 cm for breeding setups.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2014).
Breeding Corydoras pastazensis
Overview
Corydoras pastazensis Weitzman, 1963 is a long-snouted callichthyid catfish reaching around 60-70 mm standard length, recorded at temperatures of 22-28 C and a pH of 5.0-7.0 (Seriously Fish). Like other members of the genus it is an egg-depositor. No confirmed reports of this species being bred in the home aquarium are documented, so the protocol below follows the well-established Corydoras pattern.
Sexing
Females tend to grow larger, and sexually mature individuals are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, an effect that becomes most obvious when females are gravid (Seriously Fish). Viewed from above, a ripe female is conspicuously wider across the body.
Conditioning
Condition prospective breeders on a varied diet of live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, alongside good-quality sinking dried foods, until females fill with eggs. A group containing several males to each female improves the chance of a productive spawn.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Corydoras are typically induced to spawn by a large, cooler water change that simulates seasonal rain. During spawning the fish adopt the classic 'T' position, in which the male's body is held at right angles to the female's head while she collects sperm; she then carries a small clutch of eggs cupped in her pelvic fins and attaches them to a chosen surface (Seriously Fish).
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are placed on plant leaves, the aquarium glass or other firm surfaces and are not guarded by the adults. They can be left in place or moved to a separate rearing container. After hatching the tiny fry should be offered finely powdered first foods, followed by microworm and Artemia nauplii as they grow.
Common Challenges
Because the species is uncommon in the hobby and has no documented captive spawning, obtaining a sexed adult group is the main obstacle. Soft, slightly acidic water within the recorded range and stable, clean conditions give the best chance of success.