Corydoras solox Care Guide
Corydoras solox is a peaceful armored catfish from the Oyapock River basin and coastal drainages of French Guiana.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras solox is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Nijssen and Isbrucker in 1983. According to FishBase it occurs in the Oyapock River basin and smaller coastal drainages in French Guiana, where it is rarely caught. It is a small species, with FishBase listing a standard length of about 6.3 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras solox
- Author: Nijssen & Isbrucker, 1983
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Oyapock River basin and smaller coastal drainages in French Guiana. It occurs in creeks with sandy to sandy-muddy substrate at depths of about 0.5 to 2 m, in conditions of medium or little sunlight, and is sympatric with Corydoras amapaensis. It is a tropical, freshwater, demersal fish and a facultative air-breather.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Size: 4-5 cm (FishBase max 6.3 cm SL)
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore. As with other Corydoras it forages along the substrate and in aquaria should be offered sinking dried foods supplemented with small live and frozen foods. A soft sand substrate, matching its natural sandy creeks, protects its barbels while it sifts for food.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful, diurnal bottom-dweller suited to community aquaria with calm species such as tetras, rasboras and otocinclus. It should be maintained in a group of at least six and kept away from aggressive cichlids.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (FishBase assessment dated 5 March 2021).
Corydoras solox Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras solox occurs in the Oyapock River basin and smaller coastal drainages of French Guiana, in sandy freshwater creeks at 0.5-2 m depth. FishBase records it at up to 6.3 cm SL and lists it as Least Concern (2021). No species-specific aquarium spawning report is available, so the guidance below is explicitly anchored on the documented Corydoras genus pattern.
Sexing
FishBase notes that mature males have uniformly very thick pectoral spines bearing fine needles. Following the general Corydoras pattern, females also become rounder and broader when carrying eggs.
Conditioning
Condition a mixed-sex group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods. FishBase reports parameters of 22-26 degrees C, pH 6.0-8.0 and hardness 2-25 dH for this species.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
For the genus, a large cooler water change with increased oxygenation and flow is the usual trigger. In the Corydoras T-position described on Wikipedia, the female attaches her mouth to the male's vent; sperm passes through her gut and is released with the eggs into a pelvic-fin pouch, which she carries to a deposition site. Note: this describes the genus, not a confirmed observation of C. solox.
Egg & Fry Care
By the genus pattern, eggs are attached to firm surfaces and hatch within a few days; fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii once the yolk sac is absorbed and do best over fine sand. Species-specific incubation figures for C. solox are not documented.