Sands Corydoras (Corydoras davidsandsi)
The Sands' Cory is a beautiful Catfish ideal for an established softwater aquarium. These Corys are easy to care for and are quite hardy; however, they can be somewhat shy. Nevertheless, these Corys are an excellent addition to any community aquarium and display captivating behaviours.
It would be best to maintain this peaceful bottom dweller in groups of 5 or more individuals due to their shoaling nature. Keeping these fish in more significant numbers will allow your fish to feel more comfortable, leading to a much more natural-looking display.
Ideal tankmates for the Sand's Corydoras could include other peaceful species such as smaller Pencilfish, Tetras, Dwarf Barbs, and Rasboras. The presence of these fish in midwater will encourage your Corydoras to come out into view more often.
Ideally, it would be best if you used a substrate of fine sand, although smooth gravel is an acceptable alternative, provided you keep it relatively clean. Choice of décor is mainly down to personal preference; however, you will need to make sure you provide shelter to give your fish security. You can use driftwood, rocks and hardy aquatic plants to achieve this. Still, you must ensure there are no sharp edges on the decor as this may damage or injure your fish.
The Sand's Cory requires high water quality as their health can decline fast; therefore, it is essential that you carry out regular maintenance, including frequent partial water changes, to keep these fish in acceptable condition.
The Sand's Corydoras has a light brown body contrasted with a black band that runs across its head and eyes. In addition, these Corys have a second bold black stripe that runs diagonally down to the bottom of the caudal fin lobe from the top of their dorsal fin, which splits at the root of the caudal fin. Lastly, the gill cover has a faint orange spot, and the flanks have no further markings.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corydoras davidsandsi |
| Year Described | 1987 |
| Other Names | Sand's Cory |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriformes |
| Family | Callichthyidae |
| Genus | Corydoras |
| Origins | Brazil |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 6+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Layer |
| Lifespan | 3 - 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 5.0 - 7.0 |
| GH | 2 - 12 |
| TDS | 18 - 90 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 68 - 79℉ 20 - 26.1℃ | |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Sands Corydoras will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Sexual Dimorphism
It is somewhat straightforward to differentiate between the male and female Sand's Corydoras. Females are slightly longer, are higher-bodied and look wider than males when viewed from above, as they have a larger underbelly. In contrast, males are shorter and slimmer than females.