Banner-Tail Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras robineae, the banner-tail or flagtail cory, is a peaceful catfish from the upper Rio Negro with bold horizontal stripes on the tail.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras robineae, known as the banner-tail or flagtail cory, is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Burgess in 1983. It is distinctive for bold horizontal stripes on the caudal fin resembling a banner. According to Wikipedia it was named in honour of Robine Schwartz, mother of the aquarium-fish collector and exporter Adolfo Schwartz. Some sources now place it in the genus Brochis.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras robineae
- Author: Burgess, 1983
- Recognised combination: Brochis robineae (Burgess, 1983)
Habitat
FishBase and Wikipedia both record the species from the upper Rio Negro basin in Brazil, where Seriously Fish reports it from the main river and tributaries. It is a tropical freshwater, demersal fish; aquaria use fine sand with smooth rocks and bogwood, dense planting and floating cover.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 5-12 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Size: 5-7 cm (FishBase max 4.4 cm SL)
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore. Seriously Fish notes it accepts sinking dried foods plus small live and frozen items such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and chopped earthworm; varied feeding maintains condition.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes it as peaceful and community-suitable, compatible with small characins, cyprinids, anabantoids, dwarf cichlids and other peaceful catfish. It should be kept in a group of at least six and away from aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
According to Seriously Fish, breeding is challenging but possible, using two males per female. After conditioning on a varied diet, spawning is triggered by large water changes with cooler water; eggs hatch in three to four days. Females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males when viewed from above, especially when egg-laden.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 7 November 2018).
Corydoras robineae Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras robineae, the Flagtail or Banner-tail Cory, comes from the upper Rio Negro in Brazil and grows to about 7 cm. Seriously Fish notes that the species has only been bred in aquaria fairly recently. It is an egg-depositing catfish that spawns in the genus's typical T-position.
Sexing
Seriously Fish reports that females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when full of eggs; the difference is clearest viewed from above.
Conditioning
Condition the group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods. Seriously Fish recommends a ratio of two males per female.
Breeding Setup
Seriously Fish suggests a tank around 18 by 12 by 12 inches with a bare bottom, sand or fine gravel, air-powered sponge or box filtration and clumps of Java moss for shelter. Target conditions are roughly 24 degrees C (75 F) and pH 7. Maintenance parameters are 21-26 degrees C, pH 6.5-7.5 and hardness 5-12 dH.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Trigger spawning with large 50-70% water changes using cooler water while increasing oxygenation and flow, repeated daily until the fish spawn. In the T-position the male grasps the female's barbels and releases sperm; the female forms a basket with her pelvic fins and deposits the eggs one at a time, with up to four released simultaneously, then attaches them to a chosen surface.
Egg & Fry Care
Seriously Fish gives a hatch time of 3-4 days. After the fry have absorbed their yolk sacs they accept microworms and brine shrimp nauplii as first foods.
Common Challenges
Because aquarium spawning is comparatively recent, robust protocols are still being refined. Fungused eggs and poor water quality are the usual causes of failure, so keep eggs and fry in clean, well-oxygenated water and treat clutches against fungus as for other Corydoras.