Order Siluriformes
Family Callichthyidae
Subfamily Corydoradinae
To be continued…
Genus Corydoras
— Bandit Corydoras, Masked Corydoras — Corydoras metae [Eigenmann, 1914]. (Eng. Bandit Corydoras, Masked Corydoras). Colombia, Meta River basin. 5 cm. Very similar to *C. melini*. It has a stocky, slightly elongated body with a high front part. The flanks are flattened and covered with 2 rows of bony plates, which serve as good protection against predators. The belly line is straight. The mouth is inferior. There are two pairs of barbels on the upper and lower jaws. The caudal fin is bilobed.
The body is of a delicate yellow-brown color. The belly is slightly lighter. The anterior rays and the base of the dorsal fin are colored with a black stripe with a bluish sheen, which runs along the back and goes down, enclosing the caudal peduncle at the base of the tail. Another black-blue stripe runs across the head through the eyes.
The fins are delicate brown, transparent; the dorsal fin is partially black, and can be completely black-blue. In the male, the upper end of the dorsal fin is pointed, in the female it is rounded; the stripes are dark brown, and during spawning, the shape of the belly becomes curved. *Corydoras davidsandsi* is similar to *C. metae*, but differs mainly in body size and head shape. They have a more elongated snout, and a distinct black stripe extends to the lower lobe of the caudal fin.
Unpretentious in maintenance. To decorate an aquarium with these fish, various shelters are needed, large flat stones on which the catfishes like to rest, and thickets of plants. A sociable, active fish, it likes to burrow into fine sand or hide in the thickets of Java moss. They stay in the lower water layers, periodically rising to the surface for air. Most active in the evening and night hours.
It is better to keep them in the aquarium in a school with a prevailing number of males. If the fish are kept in a balanced mixed-sex group, these peaceful animals sometimes begin to spawn spontaneously even in a community aquarium well planted with fine sand “playgrounds”. Non-aggressive fish are chosen as neighbors. Constant filtration, aeration, and water changes are necessary.
They like to constantly dig in the substrate, picking up leftover food. They can be fed with live food or artificial substitutes. They mature at 8 months; for breeding, 2 males per 1 female are needed. Spawning can also occur in the aquarium where the fish are kept. The female usually lays eggs on a wide plant leaf, but can also lay them on a hard object (a stone, the aquarium wall). Juveniles grow fast and mature early. Life span up to 5 years. dH up to 14°; pH 6.5-7.5; T 24-27°C.
— Dwarf Corydoras — Corydoras nanus [Nijssen & Isbrucker, 1967]. Suriname, Eastern Brazil. 4 cm. Back and forehead are yellow-olive with a black reticulated pattern. 3 black stripes run along the body. Golden colors predominate in the coloration of males; their dorsal fin is black with a transverse yellow stripe, the lower part of the caudal fin is yellow-black, the first ray of the pectoral fins is dark. Males are smaller and leaner than females.
A schooling fish, it feels better and more confident in a school. It is advisable to keep at least 4-5 individuals. An undemanding species regarding maintenance conditions. Prefers dense vegetation among which it can hide. Substrate should be sandy with a grain size of 2-3 mm without sharp edges. Does not tolerate high concentrations of salt or copper in the water. Juveniles grow slowly. Mature at 12 months. dH 4-6°; pH 6.0; temperature 25-26°C.
— Narcisso Cory — Corydoras narcissus [Nijssen & Isbrucker, 1980]. (Eng. Long Nosed Arched Cory, Narcisso Cory, Purus Cory). (CW 006). Peru, Brazil, Purus River basin. 8 cm. Similar to *Corydoras arcuatus*, but with a longer snout. A very spectacular large corydoras from the “long-nosed” group. Two pairs of barbels. Coloration is silver-gray; a wide dark stripe runs along the back on the sides of the dorsal fin, extending onto the lower lobe of the caudal fin.
An oblique uneven stripe is present on the snout below the eyes. The upper half of the dorsal fin has black pigment. The adipose fin has a black border along the rear edge. The remaining fins are transparent. The coloration of juveniles repeats that of adults, but with blurred spots on the flanks, which disappear upon reaching sexual maturity.
Males are aggressive during the breeding season, chasing other males, so it is better to keep them in a harem – 1 male to 2-3 females. The substrate should be sandy, although rounded gravel can be used due to the large size of the adult fish. They like good water movement in the aquarium. Adult fish eat snails. Fry reach a length of 4 cm in two months. pH 6.0-8.0; T 22-27°C.
— Blue Cory, Natterer’s Cory — Corydoras nattereri [Steindachner, I876]. (Eng. Blue Cory, Natterer’s Cory). Brazil, Paraíba do Sul, Rio Doce, Jequitinhonha rivers. up to 6 cm. It has a stocky body, somewhat elongated in length, its front part is high, the belly line is almost straight, the sides are slightly compressed and covered with two rows of dense bony plates. Two pairs of barbels near the mouth. Grayish-greenish with a brownish tint, the back is greenish-brown. Depending on the incidence of light, the sides of the fish cast a blue or green hue, silvery in reflection.
A narrow, black stripe, slightly glowing green, runs along the body. A dark spot is located at the base of the dorsal fin, which disappears under adverse maintenance conditions. The fins are semi-transparent, colored to match the body tone. Males have a higher and sharper dorsal fin; they are smaller and leaner. An albino form exists. The body color of albinos ranges from pale pink to bright orange, the stripe along the body is bright blue, and the eyes are red. Similar to *Scleromystax prionotos*, which has a more elongated body and a larger head shape.
The coloration becomes more intense with dark, fine-grained sand as substrate. Crushed stone or gravel that could injure the barbels — the tactile organs of the catfish — is not allowed. Dense vegetation is necessary along the side and back walls of the aquarium; a sufficient number of shelters and hiding places made of stones or driftwood should be arranged between the plants. A schooling fish. Mature in 6-8 months. dH 6-10°; pH 6.6-7.0; Water temperature 23-25°C.
Identification: Genus Corydoras — Corydoras metae, nanus, narcissus, nattereri.
Corydoras paleatus, panda, potaroensis.
Corydoras julii, loxozonus, melanistius, melanotaenia, melini. 
