Aquarium Inf

Breeding Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras Pygmaeus) In The Aquarium

pygmy corydoras Corydoras pygmaeus
Wikipedia/Sesarma /CC BY-SA 3.0
SpeciesPygmy Corydoras
Other namesPygmy Catfish
Latin NameCorydoras Pygmaeus
Familycallichthyidae
OriginSouth America
Length 3 cm
Temperature22 - 26°C
Water Hardnesssoft - medium hard
pH6.0 - 7.5
Aquarium Size70 L
Foodlive, frozen, dry highly fragmented

Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras Pygmaeus)
Other names: Pygmy Catfish

Location

This freshwater fish lives in tropical tributaries of Amazon River with low water level, often oxygen-poor, slow-flowing and dark colour waters. It can live in ponds and floodplains too.

Body description

Colour of the body is olive-gray with yellow-whitish under-side. There are two horizontal, dark and light stripes from mouth, via eye, to the caudal fin. There is a second pair of two horizontal stripes (dark and light) from the pelvic fin to the caudal fin. All fins are clear. Male is a bit smaller and thinner than female.

Temperament and behaviour

This is a shoal species. Fish prefers to live in a group of 5 minimum. Then it is less stressed and timid. The fish are peaceful, quiet and active. They are looking for food at the bottom of the aquarium, on leaves and surface of a decorative elements. Both, substrate and any decorative elements, must have soft edges.

Aquarium decoration

This fish prefers spacious tanks with soft substrate, gentle water flow, dimmed light, a lot of hiding-places among roots and branches. The fish can breathe atmospheric air.

Breeding

This is an oviparous species. You can stimulate this fish to spawn by bigger partial water changes with cooler water. You need single female and few males. Female lays eggs on the aquarium glass, leaves or decorative elements. The eggs hatch after 5-6 days and fry immediately starts feeding.