Order Siluriformes
Family Callichthyidae
Subfamily Corydoradinae
Continued…
Genus Corydoras.
— Peppered Cory, Blue-spotted Cory — Corydoras paleatus [Jenyns, 1842]. (Eng. Marbled Cory, Pepper Cory). Synonyms: C. fasciatus and С. marmoratus. Inhabits waters with dense vegetation in Southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. This fish is the easiest to keep and breed, and can be fully recommended for beginner aquarists. They have two pairs of barbels around the mouth that act as sensitive receptors for finding food in soft sand. Male 5 cm, female up to 7 cm.
A marbled pattern is visible on the body of the catfish, created by dark brown spots on a lighter background. The main color of the fish is olive-brown, darker on the back, lighter on the sides with a metallic sheen, and the belly has a pinkish-golden tint. Rather large irregular spots are located all over the body and fins. The head is also covered with dark spots. A strip of frequent transverse dashes runs along the sides.
The high dorsal fin with a dark spot and rows of specks is constantly raised. The adipose fin (in its front part) has a spine. All fins are gray and dotted with black dots and stripes. Males are smaller and slimmer than females, with fewer and paler spots on the body, and the dorsal fin is high, sharp, and triangular in shape. Females are much larger than males, the speckling on the body is more intense and dense, and the dorsal fin is short and rounded. Albino catfish — C. paleatus albino and veil forms have been bred. The coloration is whitish-pink, with a golden-green sheen in reflected light.
Identification: Peppered cory — Corydoras paleatus.
Peaceful and schooling fish. It is advisable to keep them in a school of at least 6 fish. The peppered cory can be a great addition to any aquarium with various species of fish, as it will not harm them. An aquarium with dense thickets of live floating or broad-leaved plants and various shelters (natural driftwood, stone caves). Twilight and nocturnal fish, they like dim light, inhabit the bottom zone, and are quite active and mobile.
The fish are exceptionally undemanding. Prefers dim lighting and a thick substrate layer of gravel or coarse sand. Raging in the substrate makes the water cloudy, so powerful filtration is necessary. Acts as a scavenger, picking up leftover food not eaten by other fish.
They eat almost any food, constantly digging in the substrate in search of food scraps. The catfish calmly tolerates temperature drops down to 15-18°C and survives at 3°C. Catfish have additional intestinal respiration and can breathe atmospheric oxygen. Due to this, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water does not matter to them, and they can even live in small vessels without aeration.
Sensitive to salt addition; do not use it during treatment. Juveniles grow slowly. Catfish reach sexual maturity at 6-8 months. Their spawning period can stretch for 2-3 months, after which they need rest. Lifespan is 8 years. dH up to 15°; pH 6.5-7.5; T 16-25°C.
Identification: Peppered cory — Corydoras paleatus.
— Panda corydoras — Corydoras panda [Nijssen & Isbrucker, 1971]. (Eng. Panda Corydoras). Peru, rivers Pachitea, Ucayali, Río Pachitea. 4-5 cm. Has a dense and laterally compressed body with a high back, the sides are covered with horny scales. Mouth is inferior with four pairs of barbels, arranged two on top and two on the bottom. The body is sand-colored with a golden sheen and large dark, almost black spots — triangular on the dorsal fin and rounded on the caudal peduncle. A wide black transverse stripe runs across the head through the eye. Mouth is inferior with four pairs of barbels, arranged two on top and two on the bottom.
The dorsal fin is black with a transparent upper edge. The rest of the fins are yellowish. The adult female is larger, has a higher body, the dorsal fin is rounded, her sides are rounder, and the belly line (especially under the pectoral fins) has an arched profile, while in males it is almost straight. The male is smaller than the female, the dorsal fin is straight and sharper. By two months of age, it reaches 2 cm and the coloration repeats that of the adult.
A peaceful and schooling fish with a brisk, playful character. A striking species with a pleasant pattern, best kept in a group. Very sociable — there should be at least 10 individuals in a group. Likes bright aquariums with a soft dark substrate. Neither volume, design style, nor chemical parameters of the aquatic environment are of fundamental importance to them. They lead an exclusively bottom-dwelling lifestyle, love to swim in a school and dig in the substrate.
Panda neighbors in the aquarium seem to be unnoticed and not feared. Inhabitants of decorative water bodies, even traditional bullies, pay minimal attention to the catfish in turn. This allows even juvenile pandas barely reaching two centimeters in length to be introduced into a general aquarium. During the day, it lies calmly on stones or hides in shelters, starting to show activity only at dusk. It is interesting to note that both fry and adult fish kept on a light bottom have a clean white-cream coloration. It is much more attractive than that characteristic of individuals grown on a dark substrate — which are darker, with less contrasting black spots on the body and dorsal fin.
Various shelters and plants planted densely along the back and side walls are required. In addition to gill respiration, it also has intestinal respiration, so access to the surface must always be open for them. Fish easily adapt to changing conditions, as long as fluctuations are not abrupt. However, they do not like an abundance of dissolved organic matter, and especially mechanical suspension. Filtration, aeration, and weekly water changes are necessary.
Panda corydoras does not eat leftover food, so it should be fed properly and separately. It feeds on live food (bloodworms, frozen cyclopes) and substitutes, and really likes tablets, including those containing plant components. It almost always takes food from the bottom, so fine sand is required, under no circumstances gravel. Overall, a fish suitable for any aquarium size and hardy enough for an inexperienced beginner. They mature at 8-10 months. Lifespan up to 7 years. dH 5-16°; pH 5.8-7.5; T 22-26°C.
Identification: Panda corydoras — Corydoras panda.
— Potaro cory — Corydoras potaroensis [Myers, 1927]. Guyana. 5 cm, male is smaller. A pinkish-brown variety with a dark stripe running through the eye and an undefined dark patch on the dorsal fin. Peaceful and schooling fish. Likes to swim in a school and dig in the substrate. To decorate an aquarium with these fish, various shelters, large flat stones on which the catfish like to rest, and plant thickets are needed. Gravel or chips that could injure the barbels — the catfish’s touch organs — are not allowed. Dense vegetation along the side and back walls of the aquarium is necessary. pH 6.0-7.5; T 22-27°C.
Corydoras punctatus, pygmaeus, rabauti, reticulatus.
Corydoras metae, nanus, narcissus, nattereri. 
