Corydoras reticulatus Breeding Guide

How to breed the Reticulated Corydoras (Corydoras reticulatus): two males per female, the cooler-water trigger, T-position spawning, eggs on the glass, a 3-4 day hatch and fry care.

Overview

Corydoras reticulatus, the reticulated cory, is an armoured catfish reaching about 2.4 inches (6 cm) standard length, found in the lower Amazon basin in Brazil (Seriously Fish). It is a peaceful, schooling egg-depositor. Seriously Fish notes that no captive-breeding information is available for this specific species and that the recommended procedure is based on closely related Corydoras; treat the spawning detail below accordingly.

Sexing

Viewed from above, females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when carrying eggs (Seriously Fish).

Conditioning

Condition the group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods until the females are visibly full of eggs (Seriously Fish). A ratio of two males per female is recommended for spawning, as the extra male improves fertilisation success during the brief T-position embraces.

Breeding Setup

A breeding tank of about 18 x 12 x 12 inches with a bare base, sand or fine gravel, air-powered sponge or box filtration and clumps of Java moss is suitable. The Java moss and increased flow give the female surfaces and current cues that prompt egg deposition. Aim for a spawning temperature near 75 degrees F (about 24 degrees C) and a pH around 7, within the species' range of pH 6.0-7.2 and 22-26 degrees C (Seriously Fish).

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Perform a large (50-70%) water change with cooler water and increase oxygenation and flow, repeating daily until spawning. In the T-position the male grasps the female's barbels between his pectoral fin and body and releases sperm, which passes toward her pelvic fins where she forms an egg basket. Single eggs are deposited on the glass in high-flow areas, with up to 4 released per cycle (Seriously Fish).

Egg & Fry Care

Eggs hatch in about 3-4 days. Once the yolk sacs are absorbed, the fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii (Seriously Fish). Protect eggs from the adults by removing the parents or transferring the eggs to a separate container, and keep water quality high during rearing, ideally over a thin sand layer with frequent small water changes.

Common Challenges

The absence of species-confirmed breeding data, the need to condition females and trigger spawning reliably, and protecting eggs from predation are the main challenges. Egg fungus on infertile eggs and water-quality issues during the fry stage account for most losses.