Boeseman's Corydoras

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Suriname River basin and its tributaries (Republic of Suriname). Populates forest streams with moderately moving amber waters, fine sand substrate and intricate submerged root systems.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Boeseman's Corydoras (Corydoras boesemani). Corydoras with a standard silhouette (short snout). Named after the famous Dutch ichthyologist Marinus Boeseman.

Social Behavior: Vital gregariousness. This species draws security from numbers; keeping a group of 8-10 specimens allows observing its natural, exploratory and playful behavior.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Elegant gray-beige livery characterized by a clear black mask (similar to C. metae or C. melini) and a large black spot covering most of the dorsal fin. Females are more swollen and wider when gravid.

Aquarium Setup: Tank of minimum 80 cm (32 inches). Fine sand mandatory to preserve the tactile sensors (barbels). Lighting should not be too intense; use Catappa leaves to amber the water.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous detritivore and micro-predator. Sinking feeds specific for catfish, enriched with high quality frozen food (bloodworms, daphnia). A varied diet accentuates its robustness.

Water Quality: Although it is an adaptable species, the best conditions are obtained in soft waters, well filtered but without excessively turbulent currents, with a low organic load on the bottom.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Pacifist. Excellent combination with South American schooling fish that occupy the upper zones of the tank, such as Nannostomus or Carnegiella (hatchetfish), so as not to compete for living space.

Aquarium Reproduction: Little documented but similar to other congeners: frantic chases, T-mating, and laying of adhesive eggs on the smooth surfaces of the tank.

Risks and Diseases: Species very susceptible to bacterial infections (barbel bacteriosis or fin rot) if substrate cleaning is neglected for months.