Corydoras spectabilis Care Guide
Corydoras spectabilis, the millennium cory, is an armored catfish endemic to the Guapore River basin in Brazil.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras spectabilis is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Knaack in 1999. According to FishBase and Wikipedia it is endemic to the Guapore River basin in Brazil. FishBase records the common name millennium cory and a standard length of about 4.9 cm, and several taxonomic sources place the species in the genus Brochis as Brochis spectabilis.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras spectabilis
- Author: Knaack, 1999
- Recognised combination: Brochis spectabilis (Knaack, 1999)
Habitat
FishBase and Wikipedia both record the species from the Guapore River basin in Brazil, within the wider Amazon fish fauna. It is a tropical, freshwater, demersal fish living near the bottom, and FishBase notes it is a facultative air-breather.
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 or more individuals
- Size: 5-7 cm (FishBase max 4.9 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 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: Data Deficient (FishBase and Wikipedia; FishBase assessment dated 15 October 2020), meaning insufficient information is available to evaluate its extinction risk.
Corydoras spectabilis Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras spectabilis is a long-snouted cory from the Guapore (Guapore/Itenez) River basin in Brazil, reaching about 7 cm. Seriously Fish states that no captive breeding information is available for this species and provides only general genus guidance, so the sections below are explicitly anchored on the documented Corydoras spawning pattern.
Sexing
Following the general Corydoras pattern reported by Seriously Fish, females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when full of eggs.
Conditioning
Condition the group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods. Seriously Fish recommends a 2:1 male-to-female ratio. Maintenance parameters are 23-27 degrees C, pH 6.5-7.2 and hardness 5-12 dH.
Breeding Setup
Seriously Fish suggests an 18 by 12 by 12 inch tank with sand or fine gravel, sponge filtration and Java moss clumps. Provide firm surfaces such as glass in higher-flow areas, where Corydoras eggs are typically laid.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
For the genus, induce spawning with a large 50-70% cooler water change while increasing aeration, repeated daily. In the Corydoras T-position, the female forms a pelvic-fin basket into which eggs are released, then attaches them to glass or plants. Note: this is the genus pattern; no confirmed C. spectabilis spawning has been documented.
Egg & Fry Care
By the genus pattern reported on the species page, eggs hatch in 3-4 days and fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii once the yolk sac is absorbed, doing better over a thin layer of sand.