Adolfos Catfish (Corydoras adolfoi)
The Adolfo's Cory is relatively rare in the aquarium hobby; however, they are in high demand due to their stunning colours. In addition, these Corys are peaceful, sociable, relatively hardy and suitable for smaller softwater aquariums with other temperate species. These Corys are suitable for both beginner and more advanced aquarists alike. Ideally, it would be better to keep these Corys in a group of at least six individuals; otherwise, they will become withdrawn, easily stressed and more susceptible to illness.
Ideal tankmates for the Adolfo's Corys could include Tetras, Pencilfish, Dwarf Cichlids such as Apistogrammas and smaller Barbs. However, you should not house them with aggressive fish, as they may get harmed by this fish's venomous spines if they try to attack them.
It is essential that you house Adolfo's Corys in a well established mature aquarium. Ideally, it would be best to use fine sand as a substrate in your aquarium, although smooth gravel is a satisfactory alternative, provided you clean it regularly. Aquarium decor is not essential; however, you should provide your Adolfo's cory with some cover using driftwood branches and aquatic plants, so these fish have some security if needed. It would also benefit your fish if you added some dried leaf litter. Finally, it is critical that you perform regular water changes in order for these fish to survive as they naturally come from pristine waters.
The Adolfo's Cory has a light pinkish coloured lower body that gradually changes to a jet black on the upper half, giving a saddle appearance. In addition, they have a black stripe over their eyes with a striking orangey-yellow patch that appears on top of their head that ends just before the front of their dorsal fin.
Tank Mates for the Adolfos Catfish
4 ideal tank mate ideas for the Adolfos Catfish include:
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corydoras adolfoi |
| Year Described | 1982 |
| Other Names | Adolfo's cory |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriformes |
| Family | Callichthyidae |
| Genus | Corydoras |
| Origins | Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 5+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Layer |
| Lifespan | 3 - 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 4.5 - 7.5 |
| GH | 4 - 18 |
| KH | 0 - 15 |
| TDS | 71.43 - 32 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 66.2 - 78.8℉ 19 - 26℃ | |
Photos of the Adolfos Catfish
Natural Habitat
Adolfo's catfish are endemic to the upper Rio Negro on the equator near Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira in Brazil in South America. These Corys inhabit clean, moderately-flowing blackwaters in tributaries and areas of flooded forest where the water is stained a dark colour due to the release of tannins.
What to feed the Adolfos Catfish
Adolfo's catfish will eat all types of food, and they should have a diversified diet of frozen, live and freeze-dried foods. Sinking pellets and algae wafers are recommended as they are bottom dwellers. These Corys will also appreciate regular feedings of vegetables such as cucumber, blanched spinach and peas; however, you must make sure you remove any uneaten foods at night to avoid the build-up of waste.
How to sex the Adolfos Catfish
It can be somewhat challenging to differentiate between the male and female Adolfo's Cory, especially when they are juveniles. However, females tend to be slightly bigger and are rounder and broader-bodied than males when full of eggs. In contrast, the males are somewhat smaller and much slimmer than females.
How to breed the Adolfos Catfish
Adolfo's Corys are easy to breed with the correct water parameters. If you can, you should place two males for every female into a separate breeding tank with established, well-oxygenated water. Make sure there is plenty of plants and leaf vegetation as the female will stick her eggs to them and on the glass and stones available.
When the females are noticeably full of eggs, you should perform a significant water change with cooler water and increase the oxygenation and flow in the tank. It would help if you then repeated this daily until the fish spawn.
Adolfo's Corys will deposit their eggs on the tank glass, amongst fine-leaved plants or within sunken spawning mop. Once spawning is complete, you should remove either the adults or the eggs. If you decide to move the eggs, the raising tank will need to have the same water parameters as the spawning tank and be similarly well-oxygenated.
Some breeders add alder cones or a few drops of methylene blue into the raising tank to stop the eggs from developing fungus. The incubation period is usually is 3 to 4 days, and once the fry has fully absorbed their yolk sacs, you can provide them with small live foods such as microworm and baby brine shrimp.
Raising Adolfo's Cory fry can be pretty challenging as they require excellent water quality. Still, they seem less susceptible to diseases when maintained over a thin layer of sand than in a bare tank.