Species Spotlight!
The Agassiz's Corydoras is a peaceful and sociable fish that would make an excellent member
of a community aquarium with other harmonious species or in a species only aquarium. However,
this fish's sensitivity to water conditions makes them unsuitable for the beginner aquarist.
In the wild, these fish shoal together, so ideally,
it would be best to keep them in a group of at least six individuals;
otherwise, they may become easily stressed, withdrawn, and more susceptible to illness.
Ideal tankmates for Agassiz's Corydoras could include Tetras,
Pencilfish, Dwarf Cichlids such as Apistogrammas, Rasboras, smaller Barbs and Otocinclus.
Five possible interesting tank mates for Agassiz's Corydoras may include, Swamp Guppies,
Coral Red Pencilfish, Hokeystick Pencilfish, Desana Corydoras and Tiger Otocinclus.
You can also house these fish with aquarium snails and Shrimp.
However, you should not house them with aggressive fish,
as they may get harmed by the Cory's venomous spines if they try to attack them.
Ideally, it would be best to use fine sand as a substrate in your aquarium,
although smooth gravel can also be used, as long as you clean it regularly.
Aquarium decor is not necessary; however, you should provide some cover using driftwood,
bogwood, rocks or tall or floating aquatic plants, so these fish have some security if needed.
It would also benefit your fish if you added some dried leaf litter.
The Agassiz's Corydoras have a silvery body with a goldish tone along their lateral line. The first
three dorsal-fin rays are black, while the rest are clear to whitish. In addition, their ventral
and pelvic fins are transparent; however, some individuals can have a yellowish hue, and their
caudal fin can be translucent to bluish-white with three to five rows of transverse dark spots.
There is little information on the natural habitat of Agassiz's Corydoras;
however, we do know that these Corys are endemic to the Amazon
River Basin near the border of Brazil and Peru in South America.
These fish have been collected from the Rio Nanay, but their wider distribution is unclear.
Agassiz's Corydoras are scavenging omnivores and
will accept most sinking dried foods such as pellets and algae wafers
and small live and frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, bloodworms, and tubifex.
It would also benefit your Corys if you provided them with plenty of vegetable matter,
as feeding a varied diet will ensure the fish are in optimum health and condition.
However, you should not expect your fish to survive on leftover food
from other aquarium inhabitants or rely on them to clean the aquarium.
It can be somewhat challenging to differentiate between the male and female Agassiz's Corydoras;
however, Females are usually larger and fuller-bodied when viewed from above,
especially when gravid. In contrast, males are slightly smaller and slimmer than females.
Currently, there are no breeding reports of the Agassiz's Corydoras; however, they
are likely to spawn similarly to other Corydoras species, with the couple assuming the classic 'T
position' where the male will fertilise the eggs that the female holds between her pelvic fins.
If you would like to breed Agassiz's Corydoras, then it is recommended that you have a separate
breeding tank prepared. This tank can be undecorated, but a soft substrate is a must,
as your Corydoras will prefer to feed by rummaging in the substrate for food.
The water will need to be mature, soft and acidic with a low light level,
and you will need to add broad-leaved plants and have gentle aeration.
As the female gets close to spawning, you will notice that she will start to clean
the surface of leaves or the aquarium glass on which she will lay her eggs.
Significant water changes with rainwater or cooler water and conditioning them
with live foods can mimic their natural spawning behaviour and encourage spawning.
The female may lay anything up to 100 eggs during a single spawning.
After that, the adults will take no further part in raising their offspring and may consume
the eggs if given a chance, so it would be best to return them to their usual tank.
It usually takes between one and three days for the eggs to hatch,
depending on the water temperature and conditions and an additional two to three
days for the yolk sacs to be consumed by the fry and for them to become free-swimming.
Once they are free swimming, you can feed the fry with infusoria type foods such as rotifers.
Once the fry grows to a decent size and won't be seen as a snack,
you can then introduce them into the community tank, where they will join the existing shoal.
However, before moving the adolescent fish into the community tank, make sure you have balanced
the water temperatures as this will decrease the risk of White Spot or other diseases being
triggered. And that brings us to the end of our species spotlight thanks for watching