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I recently read something about these. Are they available in Aust? How to keep them and any special requirements.

Keith

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I've been searching for them myself. I've never seen them in the local LFS (Brissie), but I know there's at least one local importer that currently carries c. Habrosus & c. Pygmaeus (http://www.bayfish.com.au). Some of the LFS can order through them. They're about $6-7/fish last time I asked.
I'm planning to get some Habrosus real soon so I'll let you know the quality when I do.

Cheers.

-P

I'm in the US, but I had some of the Habrosus in my old "wussy tank" (ember tetras, sparkling gourami, dwarf cories). They are adorable and I loved mine - great little fish.

They also tend to be midwater swimmers (as opposed to bottom dwellers like other corys), so make sure you don't have too many other midwater fish (such as large tetras and boisterous barbs) that will crowd out and intimidate the corys.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Oh, I just thought of a couple more things! I used to have a substrate in the tank that was a bit like coarse sand or very small gravel, and they seemed to like it a lot. They also enjoyed the driftwood with java moss, and a couple of short flat rocks I had in the tank. They used to sit on the top of the flat rocks and look at me - oh so cute.

Okay, there are four species of Corydoras that can be considered 'dwarfs', and if you include Pandas on the list (even though they can reach 55mm SL, they're still among the smaller Corys), then that makes five. The four 'true dwarfs' are:

Corydoras pygmaeus
Corydoras hastatus
Corydoras cochui
Corydoras habrosus

The first two are grouped together because they have very similar habits, even if they are distinct in appearance. Both of these species, pygmaeus and hastatus, are midwater active fishes that definitely need a decent sized shoal of their own kind if they are to feel happy. Six should be a bare minimum, and if you have the space for twelve, so much the better! Not that with their diminutive size, they place major demands on space individually, but once you build up a decent shoal, this starts to count when considering biofilter loading. Even so, they're ideal small Corys for the modest sized aquarium, provided that you pay attention to water cleanliness.

The second two species in the list, habrosus and cochui, look very much alike, and it can take a trained eye to tell them apart as juveniles. Once they get older, however, there is a clear difference, mainly in size. Corydoras cochui is actually the smallest of all the Corys, at just 30mm SL for the female, and 20mm SL for the male. Both have similar requirements, being avowedly social (they NEED a decent sized group if they are to prosper) and a well-furnished aquarium with a substrate that receives regular water changes and gravel vacs.

Note that habrosus has been reported by several people as being fussy with regard to substrate. Cory_Di had BIG issues with her habrosus on a flourite substrate, and the Lambourne book cites habrosus fry as being very sensitive to substrate choices, rounded gravel with a particle size averaging 2-3mm being considered the optimum. Other than that, habrosus, if you can get them, become entertaining and lovely fish once acclimatised, and Heidi's experiences with them have been told over and over again on this Board, losing nothing in the telling each time because they demonstrate amply why Corys are such adorable fishes!

Of the four listed above, cochui is likely to be the rarest by a good margin. I know where I can obtain the first three (albeit by special order) without too many logistical difficulties, while cochui is one I would have to track down at specialist catfish meets here in the UK. Your situation may differ, of course, and you may be able to get the tiny cochui with greater ease than I can. If you can, chances are you'll love these tiny Corys, they really are little gems, if somewhat on the delicate side.

Finally, of course, there are Pandas. The trick with Pandas is to get them when they're older than 20 weeks of age. Before that time, they are likely to be very sensitive to changes in water chemistry, and require much care and attention when transferring to a new aquarium. Once beyond the 20 week stage, however, they become more robust in this regard, and are likely to acclimatise to a new home with far fewer dramas. If you feel like a challenge, and you see really tiny juvenile Pandas for sale, by all means give them a good home, but watch them like a hawk for the slightest signs of trouble and be prepared for them being pretty high maintenance until they reach the 20 week and beyond stage.

I would recommend that you treat ALL the small Corys in a similar manner just to be safe, regard them as requiring extra TLC during acclimatisation, and in particular give them some live food banquets in the first days after acquisition. This will help them settle in enormously, and when you see a habrosus or a Panda chowing down on live Bloodworm, you'll swear you can see it smiling!

finally, remember that ALL the above species have a more ounced need to be in groups of their own species than is the case with some of the largert Corys. Four is a bare minimum grouping for Pandas, preferably at least eight if you have the space, and the four 'dwarfs' listed above should be in a shoal of 6 minimum, preferably 12 upwards if space permits.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Hey Cal, you don't consider Corydoras gracilis to be a true dwarf cory? I don't think they exceed four cm in length; that should be small enough to qualify. Come to think of it, I swear there's another cory whose species name begins with a "G" that is small... Now I'll have to go look it up.

See what you made me do?

Oh yeah, C. polystictus is another small species, they are actually smaller than panda cories. Heh, I'm being annoying.

Keith, C. gracilis can be cared for in a similar manner to the other dwarf cories Cal described above (mainly like the C. habrosus and C. pygmaeus). C. polystictus is actually hardier, and can take less-than-decent water conditions without complaint. They're fairly easy to care for.

Last edited by sirbooks at 24-Jun-2005 21:33

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Here is the list from the Aust importer.

Keith

3cm
Corydoras aeneus “Neon Green Stripe”

3cm
Corydoras aeneus “Neon Red Stripe”

3cm
Corydoras atropersonatus

3cm
Corydoras axelrodi “Deckeri”

3cm
Corydoras caudimaculatus

3cm
Corydoras delphax “Wotroi”

3cm
Corydoras elegans

3cm
Corydoras gossei

2cm
Corydoras habrosus

3cm
Corydoras julii

3cm
Corydoras panda

4cm
Corydoras panda

2cm
Corydoras pygmaeus

3cm
Corydoras rabauti

3cm
Corydoras similis

3.5cm
Albino corydoras sterbai

3cm
Corydoras sterbai

4.5cm
Corydoras sterbai

3cm
Corydoras schwartzi



Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Keith,
I have seen Corydoras pygmaeus, Corydoras hastatus, Corydoras cochui and Corydoras habrosus at Boronia Aquarium. I dont remember prices though so give them a call and see.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I have C. pygmaeus, very active little fish. Same care requirements as other cories except that they do much better in larger groups.

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

oh..dont u just love cories....period!!!

Sirbooks, Corydoras gracilis is new to me. Your post is probably the first mention I've ever seen of it! However, inspired by your words, and a large dose of curiosity where new Corys are concerned, I'll go hunt it down.

As for other Corys whose specific names begin with 'g', I know of gomesi, gossei and garbei. There's also geryi, which is have been told is the correct name for the fish once named Corydoras bolivianus (apparently the holotype for C. geryi matches that for C. bolivianus, and since geryi was named first, the Law of Priority in the ICZN Nomenclature Rules applies).

There's probably at least two or three new ones added since I last updated my list. As it is, I've had to take account of C-numbers since joining this board, so I guess I'll just have to come to terms with yet more new names


Last edited by Calilasseia at 25-Jun-2005 21:50

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002