Pinheiro's Cory

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Originates from the Madeira river basin and minor tributaries in Brazil. Exclusive inhabitant of "blackwater": slow rivers and submerged amber oxbows, characterized by almost non-existent light and thick organic layers on the bottom.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Majestic member of the Callichthyidae family. Corydoras of formidable size (touches 6.5 - 7 cm / 2.5-2.8 inches), boasts a moderately long snout (long-snouted) and is covered by thick and defensive horny shielded plates.

Social Behavior: Inert if bred in small numbers, it acquires absolute security in schools of at least 6-8 individuals. Unbelievably peaceful, it spends its days meticulously patrolling the sand.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: A Corydoras with a very particular pattern (similar to C. sterbai but with inverted/reticulated coloration): silvery-cream body dense with sinuous dark streaks (reticulated pattern) and showy spotted ventral and anal fins. The female exhibits a much more pronounced abdominal diameter than the male.

Aquarium Setup: Does not negotiate soft sand (silica) to safeguard the shielded snout. Loves thick and dark shelters: insert large interwoven trunks (Red Moor) and cover the bottom with large oak or Catappa leaves. Strictly weak lights.

Diet and Feeding: Nocturnal and diurnal omnivorous digger. Consumes greedy meals of plecostomus and Corydoras wafers, but the diet must be robustly supported with tri-weekly administrations of full-bodied live/frozen baits: Tubifex and giant bloodworms.

Water Quality: Does not forgive ammoniacal spikes on the bottom. Temperature 22-26°C (72-79°F). The pH range must be strictly weakly acidic or neutral (6.0 - 7.2) and the water must have a very soft hardness (GH 2-12). Very high-performance filter but never turbulent at the bottom.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Superb fish for "large peaceful community": perfectly associates with huge schools of Cardinals, Nannostomus, Carnegiella and Apistogramma or Ramirezi. Any pairing with territorial or frantic burrowing fish is banned.

Aquarium Reproduction: True goal for experts: must be triggered by dropping the temperature with drastic RO changes (mimicking monsoons). During the chaotic "T" mating, they release thick eggs on the glass. They must strictly be removed to elude the raid of the colony itself.

Risks and Diseases: Gravel and abrasive substrates will cause atrophying mutilations, and rapid death from septicemia or hunger. Very high lethal susceptibility to chemical treatments in the tank based on copper (Cu) or formaldehyde.