Xingu Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras xinguensis is a small black-and-white armored catfish from the upper Xingu River basin in Brazil.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Corydoras xinguensis is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, described by Nijssen in 1972. According to FishBase it occurs in the upper Xingu River basin in Brazil. FishBase lists a standard length of about 3.7 cm and places the species in the genus Hoplisoma as Hoplisoma xinguense; the common name is Xingu corydoras.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras xinguensis
- Author: Nijssen, 1972
- Recognised combination: Hoplisoma xinguense (Nijssen, 1972)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the upper Xingu River basin in Brazil. 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: 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 3.7 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: Least Concern (FishBase assessment dated 7 November 2018). FishBase notes the species is of commercial interest to the aquarium trade.
Corydoras xinguensis Breeding Guide
Overview
Corydoras xinguensis (treated by FishBase under Hoplisoma xinguense) is recorded from the upper Xingu River basin in Brazil, reaching about 3.7 cm SL, and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN (2018). No species-specific aquarium spawning report is available, so the guidance below is explicitly anchored on the documented Corydoras genus pattern.
Sexing
Following the general Corydoras pattern, females grow rounder and broader-bodied than males, most obviously when carrying eggs and viewed from above.
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. xinguensis.
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. xinguensis are not documented.