Sterbas Corydoras (Corydoras sterbai) Species Profile & Care Guide

The Sterba's Corydoras is a peaceful, playful and exciting bottom-dwelling member of the armoured catfish group and is one of the most popular species of Corydoras to own because of its beautiful markings.

These Catfish are suitable for most community aquariums, but it is not advisable to keep them with anything large or aggressive. Good tankmates can include small cyprinids, characins, dwarf cichlids, anabantoids, and other peaceful catfish.

Always try to keep Sterba's Corydoras in groups as they are far more confident and active in the presence of the same species. A group of at least six is recommended.

The Sterba's Corydoras primary colour is dark brown with lines of different shaped white spots on a black background. On its head, these spots are randomly located.

Their fins are translucent with a scarcely noticeable dotted pattern, and their abdomen is an orangy colour. The body of this species is a rounded shape, which narrows to the caudal fin. This fish also features gold markings, highlighting both its body and the edges of its fins.

They have bulging eyes on the head, and a series of antennae are positioned underneath them which they use as an antenna for orientation purposes.

Natural Habitat of the Sterbas Corydoras

The Sterba's Corydoras is indigenous to the upper Rio Guapore in Brazil and can also be found in Bolivia in South America. They inhabit small tributaries, pools, creeks, and areas of flooded forest with a sandy substrate, soft acidic water and plenty of dense vegetation.

Other Corydoras of interest

Diet

Sterba's Corydoras is omnivorous and will require a well-balanced diet. This can include flake, dried, live and frozen foods. For optimum health and colour provide them with high-quality flakes and sinking pellets as the staple diet as well as frozen fare such as brine shrimp and live worms.

Breeding the Sterbas Corydoras

Sterba's Corydoras are relatively easy to breed. All that will be required is a breeding tank with either a bare bottom, sand or gravel substrate an air-powered sponge filter and clumps of vegetation such as java moss.

It's always better to have a greater ratio of males to females when breeding these corydoras and its recommended to have two males per female. Condition the breeding group on a varied diet of frozen, live and dry foods.

When the female's abdomen is noticeably full of eggs, perform a relatively large water change with colder water, and increase the flow and oxygenation in the tank. It is better to repeat this daily until the fish spawn.

During breeding, the male will grip the barbels of the female during the fertilisation process. The female will carry the eggs which are generally up to 4 at a time to their final destination by using a unique basket located under her ventral fins. The female will then attach the eggs to a smooth surface or a plant leaf. She will continue to repeat this cycle until she has no more eggs left.

The adults will consume the eggs if they are given the opportunity, so once spawning is complete, you can either remove the adults and raise the fry in the same tank, or you can move the eggs and raise the fry somewhere else.

After around 3-5 days later, the eggs will hatch, and 2-3 days after that they become free-swimming. Once they have used up there egg yolk sacs, they can be fed micro-plankton or micro-worms until they are big enough to consume prepared foods.

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