Corydoras facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corydoras |
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| Corydoras melanotaenia | |
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| Corydoras sterbai | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Callichthyidae |
| Tribe: | Corydoradini |
| Genus: | Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 |
| Type species | |
| Corydoras geoffroy Lacépède, 1803
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Corydoras are a type of small, freshwater fish. They are also known as armored catfishes. These fish belong to the Callichthyidae family. They live in rivers and streams across South America. You can find them from the Andes mountains to the Atlantic Ocean coast. They are found in many countries, from Trinidad down to northern Argentina.
Corydoras are special because they have bony plates. These plates act like armor. This armor helps protect them from predators. They also have sharp, sometimes venomous, spines for defense. These fish are usually small. They grow from about 2.5 to 12 centimeters (1 to 5 inches) long.
Discovering Corydoras: The Armored Catfish
How Scientists Classify Corydoras
The name Corydoras comes from ancient Greek words. Kory means "helmet" and doras means "skin." This describes their armored bodies well. For a long time, Corydoras was the largest group of Neotropical fishes. It had over 160 known species. However, scientists have since divided them into several smaller groups. The first species described in this group was Corydoras geoffroy.
Tracking New Species: C-Numbers
Many other species are still being studied. Fish enthusiasts often give these unclassified species "C-numbers." This helps track them until they get official scientific names. For example, as of February 2014, 158 C-numbers were in use. Some species once called Corydoras are now in other groups. These include Scleromystax and Aspidoras.
Life in the Wild: Corydoras Ecology
Corydoras fish love to live in small streams. They also live in calm parts of larger rivers. You can find them in marshes and ponds too. Their homes are usually in shallow, murky waters. Most Corydoras are bottom-dwellers. This means they spend their time on the riverbed. They search for food in sand, gravel, or decaying plant matter. The edges of these streams often have many plants. Corydoras hide and forage among these plants.
They can live in different water types. But they prefer water that is soft. It should not be too acidic or alkaline. They cannot handle much salt in their water. You will often see Corydoras swimming together in large groups called shoals. These groups can have hundreds or even thousands of fish. They are active both during the day and at night.
Their Unique Behaviors
Corydoras have a special ability. They can breathe both water and air. They often swim to the surface to quickly gulp air. This helps them survive when there is not enough oxygen in the water.
What Do Corydoras Eat?
Corydoras mainly eat small insects and insect larvae. They also eat various worms. Sometimes they eat some plant material too. They use their sensitive whiskers, called barbels, to find food. Then they suck up the food with their mouths. Sometimes they bury their snouts deep into the sand to find tasty bits.
How Corydoras Protect Themselves
When threatened, some Corydoras species might freeze and stay still. This helps them blend in with their surroundings. Other species rely on their armor and venomous spines for protection. Some other fish, like certain Otocinclus species, even copy the look of Corydoras. This trick helps them avoid being eaten by predators.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
When it's time to reproduce, Corydoras have a unique way. The male and female fish form a special "T-position." The female collects the male's reproductive cells. She then gathers her eggs into a small pouch made by her pelvic fins. After this, she swims away. She carefully places the eggs in a safe spot. She often sticks them to plants or rocks. This special "T-position" is seen in many different Corydoras species.
Keeping Corydoras as Aquarium Pets
Corydoras are very popular fish for home aquariums. They are peaceful and get along well with most other fish. This makes them great for a community tank. It's best to keep them in groups of four to six or more. Since they are bottom feeders, give them sinking food pellets. You can also add live or frozen foods as treats. Make sure faster fish don't eat all their food before it reaches the bottom.
Setting Up Their Home
Most Corydoras like water with a slightly basic pH. A temperature between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius (72-78°F) is ideal. They don't do well with high levels of nitrates in the water. Too many nitrates can harm their barbels. This can make them short and useless. Sharp gravel can also damage their barbels. It's a myth that you can't use salt to treat sick Corydoras. A small amount of salt can help treat common infections like ich.
These fish are fairly easy to care for. They are peaceful, tough, active, and fun to watch. Sometimes they will quickly dart to the surface for a breath of air. This is normal behavior. But if they do it too often, it might mean the water quality is poor.
Corydoras are active during the day and around dawn or dusk. They are a favorite choice for many aquarists worldwide. Between 2006 and 2015, over 8.6 million Corydoras were exported from the state of Amazonas in Brazil. This shows how popular they are. These fish can live a long time in an aquarium. Some Corydoras aeneus have lived for 27 years. Living for 20 years is not unusual for them.
Known Corydoras Species
This genus includes many different species. Here are some of the currently recognized ones:
- Corydoras acutus Cope, 1872
- Corydoras amapaensis Nijssen, 1972
- Corydoras areio Knaack, 2000
- Corydoras aurofrenatus C. H. Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903
- Corydoras blochi Nijssen, 1971
- Corydoras caramater Tencatt, Couto, Santos & Sousa, 2024
- Corydoras cervinus Rössel, 1962
- Corydoras coriatae Burgess, 1997
- Corydoras cortesi Castro, 1987
- Corydoras desana Lima & Sazima, 2017
- Corydoras ellisae Gosline, 1940
- Corydoras filamentosus Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1983
- Corydoras fowleri Böhlke, 1950
- Corydoras fulleri Tencatt, Santos, Evers & Britto, 2021
- Corydoras geoffroy Lacepède, 1803
- Corydoras iiap Tencatt, Ruiz-Tafur & Chuctaya, 2024
- Corydoras maculifer Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1971
- Corydoras narcissus Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1980
- Corydoras negro Knaack, 2004
- Corydoras ourastigma Nijssen, 1972
- Corydoras oxyrhynchus Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1967
- Corydoras pastazensis Weitzman, 1963
- Corydoras saramaccensis Nijssen, 1970
- Corydoras sarareensis Dinkelmeyer, 1995
- Corydoras semiaquilus Weitzman, 1964
- Corydoras septentrionalis Gosline, 1940
- Corydoras serratus Sands, 1995
- Corydoras simulatus Weitzman & Nijssen, 1970
- Corydoras solox Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1983
- Corydoras spilurus Norman, 1926
- Corydoras stenocephalus C. H. Eigenmann & Allen, 1942
- Corydoras treitlii Steindachner, 1906
- Corydoras vittatus Nijssen, 1971
- Corydoras zawadzkii Tencatt & Ohara, 2016
See also
- List of Corydoras species
- List of freshwater aquarium fish species
