Breeding Pygmy Corydoras
Breeding Corydoras pygmaeus: a tiny egg-depositing catfish. Sexing the rounder female, a cool-water-change trigger, T-position spawning and infusoria for the very small fry.
Overview
The Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus) is a very small egg-depositing catfish whose captive reproduction the KB record rates as intermediate. It is bred using the classic Corydoras approach of group conditioning followed by a cool-water-change trigger.
Sexing
Females are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when full of eggs, and are often also slightly larger.
Conditioning
Condition the group on a varied diet of live, frozen and dried foods until the females are visibly full of eggs.
Breeding Setup
A small breeding tank of about 12″ x 8″ x 8″ is adequate for this nano species. Maintain a temperature of around 24 °C (75 °F) and pH near 6.5.
- Temperature: around 24 °C (75 °F)
- pH: near 6.5
- Tank: a small breeding tank suffices
- Spawning surface: tank glass in high-flow areas
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
When the females are visibly full of eggs, perform a large (50-70%) water change with cooler water and increase oxygenation and flow, repeating daily until the fish spawn. A receptive female allows the male to caress her with his barbels before the pair take up the classic T-position, in which the male grasps the female's barbels between his pectoral fin and body. Eggs are typically laid on the tank glass in high-flow areas.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in 3-5 days. Newly free-swimming fry need infusoria-type food for the next few days until they are large enough to accept microworm or Artemia nauplii.
Common Challenges
Breeding is moderately challenging, requiring patience and attention to water parameters and the spawning trigger; the very small fry also demand correspondingly tiny first foods.