Pinheiro's Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras pinheiroi is a small peaceful catfish from Rondonia, Brazil, that prefers well-oxygenated water and is kept in groups.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras pinheiroi is a small armoured catfish. Seriously Fish gives a standard length of about 6.5 cm and FishBase records 5.7 cm SL. It is a peaceful, bottom-dwelling schooling fish that prefers clean, well-oxygenated conditions.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras pinheiroi
Habitat
Seriously Fish and FishBase place the species in Rondonia, in the western Amazon basin of Brazil; the precise river of origin is not documented. Seriously Fish notes it favours well-oxygenated water with surface turbulence and flow.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 25-28 °C (77-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.2
- GH: 1-15 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
Omnivorous. Seriously Fish recommends sinking dried foods supplemented with small live and frozen items such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and chopped earthworm, and stresses a varied diet.
Compatibility
Very peaceful. Seriously Fish suggests small characins, cyprinids, anabantoids, dwarf cichlids and other peaceful catfish, and advises maintaining a minimum of six individuals.
Breeding
An egg-depositor. Seriously Fish reports no detailed captive breeding records, but notes eggs hatch in 3-4 days and that fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii as first foods.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Data Deficient (assessed 2020).
Breeding Corydoras pinheiroi
Overview
Corydoras pinheiroi is a small callichthyid catfish of the adolfoi species group, reaching about 6.5 cm standard length and recorded at 25-28 C and pH 6.0-7.2 (Seriously Fish). It is rare in the hobby. No captive breeding information is available for the species, but Seriously Fish notes it can probably be bred in the same way as other Corydoras, so the standard genus protocol applies.
Sexing
Females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, an effect that is most apparent when they are carrying eggs (Seriously Fish).
Conditioning
Condition adults on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods to bring females into spawning condition. A group with a surplus of males to females tends to produce better results.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning is typically triggered by a large water change of 50-70 percent using cooler water. During spawning the male pursues the female and the pair adopt the characteristic 'T' position; the female then deposits her eggs singly, holding up to four at a time in a basket formed by her pelvic fins (Seriously Fish).
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are attached to surfaces such as plants or glass and are not tended by the parents. According to Seriously Fish the eggs hatch in 3-4 days, after which the fry accept microworm and brine shrimp (Artemia) nauplii as first foods.
Common Challenges
As a rare blackwater-group species, sourcing a viable sexed group is the principal difficulty. Soft, slightly acidic water within the recorded range and clean, stable conditions support spawning and fry survival.