Pygmy corydoras

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Pygmy corydoras
Corydoras pygmaeus carnat joel 5.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Callichthyidae
Genus: Corydoras
Species:
C. pygmaeus
Binomial name
Corydoras pygmaeus
Knaack, 1966
Corydoras pygmaeus carnat joel.jpg
Corydoras pygmaeus5333.jpg

Corydoras pygmaeus, or the pygmy corydoras or pygmy catfish [1] is a tropical and freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in tropical inland waters in South America, and is found in the Madeira River basin in Brazil.

Contents

Taxonomy

The first scientific description of the pygmy corydoras was published in 1966 by German biologist and physician Joachim Knaack, in Aquarien und Terrarien-Zeitschrift. [2] [3] One specimen was designated the holotype and one additional specimen was collected as a paratype. [2] The scientific name uses the Latin word pygmaeus, meaning dwarf or pygmy. [4]

A species of Corydoras with a similar appearance, Corydoras hastatus was described in the 1880s, and many specimens that were described as Corydoras hastatus between the 1920s and 1950s were subsequently found to be misidentified specimens of the pygmy corydoras. [1] In older literature, the pygmy corydoras is frequently mislabeled due to Corydoras hastatus being the only miniature Corydoras species known at the time. [1]

Description

The pygmy corydoras is a silver-colored fish, with an unbroken black line that runs horizontally along the center of the sides of the fish from the tip of its snout to its caudal peduncle. [5] It has a second thin black line along the lower part of the side of the body, from behind the ventral fins and continuing into the tail. [5] The top part of the body has a light black or dark gray shading that starts on the top of its snout and ends at the tail. [5] Newly hatched fry have vertical stripes along the sides of their bodies that fade by the end of their first month, when the horizontal stripes of the adult fish begin to appear. [5]

The maximum length of the species is about 3.2 centimeters (1.3 in), [6] but typical adult sizes are 1.9 centimeters (0.75 in) for males and 2.5 centimeters (1.0 in) for females. [1] In addition to their larger length, females are also rounder and broader than males, especially when they have eggs. [7] Young fry grow rapidly after hatching, reaching 13 millimeters (0.51 in) in six to eight weeks. [1]

Distribution and habitat

The pygmy corydoras is widely distributed in inland waters in Peru in tributaries of the Nanay River, in Ecuador in tributaries of the Aguarico River, and in western Brazil in tributaries of the Madeira River. [8] The holotype was obtained from Calama, Brazil, along the Madeira River near the mouth of the Ji-Paraná River. [6]

The pygmy corydoras lives in a tropical climate in water with a 6.0 - 8.0 pH, [9] a water hardness of 2 - 25 dGH, [9] and a temperature range of 22–26 °C (72–79 °F). [9] It feeds on worms, benthic crustaceans, insects, and plant matter.

Breeding

The pygmy corydoras lays approximately 100 eggs at a time. [9] The female holds 2-4 eggs at a time in a pouch formed by her pelvic fins while they are fertilized by the male, which takes about 30 seconds. [9] The female swims to a safe location with the fertilized eggs, where she attaches the sticky eggs to a surface, where they will remain. [9]

In captivity

It is a peaceful fish, shoaling fish and can be kept in a community aquarium of smaller fish species such as ember tetras. It can be fed most sinking foods, flakes, frozen food and sinking wafers. It can be kept with small shrimp and snails. In aquariums, they are often kept on fine grained substrate, such as sand. This enables them to dig through the substrate without injury to their barbels, which can often be lost in sharp substrates. They are often kept at a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0.

They are schooling fish that are usually kept in groups of at least four and will also behave much more naturally in larger groups (10 or more). Unlike the larger more common Corydoras, they often swim in shoals around the mid water and lower regions of the tank.

C. pygmaeus are peaceful fish which will not thrive with aggressive tankmates. They are perhaps best kept in a planted species tank, or with shrimp such as Neocaridina spp. They seem to do best when offered live foods in addition to prepared food items. Appropriate foods include microworms or similar nematodes, as well as Artemia nauplii (newly hatched brine shrimp).

Related Research Articles

<i>Corydoras</i> Genus of fishes

Corydoras is a genus of freshwater catfish in the family Callichthyidae and subfamily Corydoradinae. The species usually have more restricted areas of endemism than other callichthyids, but the area of distribution of the entire genus almost equals the area of distribution of the family, except for Panama where Corydoras is not present. Corydoras species are distributed in South America where they can be found from the east of the Andes to the Atlantic coast, from Trinidad to the Río de la Plata drainage in northern Argentina. Species assigned to Corydoras display a broad diversity of body shapes and coloration. Corydoras are small fish, ranging from 2.5 to 12 cm in SL., and are protected from predators by their body armor and by their sharp, typically venomous spines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze corydoras</span> Species of fish

The bronze corydoras, green corydoras, bronze catfish, lightspot corydoras or wavy catfish is a tropical freshwater fish in the "armored catfish" family, Callichthyidae, often kept in captivity by fish keepers. It is widely distributed in South America on the eastern side of the Andes, from Colombia and Trinidad to the Río de la Plata basin. It was originally described as Hoplosoma aeneum by Theodore Gill in 1858 and has also been referred to as Callichthys aeneus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterba's corydoras</span> Species of fish

Sterba's corydoras is a member of the South American Corydoras genus of freshwater aquarium catfish and one of the most popular species of Corydoras due to its attractive markings. The fish is native to the Guaporé River region between Bolivia and Brazil.

<i>Corydoras paleatus</i> Species of fish

Corydoras paleatus is a species of catfish of the family Callichthyidae. Its common names include blue leopard corydoras, mottled corydoras, and peppered catfish. It originates from the lower Paraná River basin and coastal rivers in Uruguay and Brazil.

<i>Corydoras panda</i> Species of fish

Corydoras panda is a species of catfish belonging to the genus Corydoras, of the family Callichthyidae, and is a native member of the riverine fauna of South America. It is found in Peru and Ecuador, most notably in the Huanaco region, where it inhabits the Rio Aquas, the Rio Amarillae, a tributary of the Rio Pachitea, and the Rio Ucayali river system. The species was first collected by Randolph H. Richards in 1968, and was named Corydoras panda by Nijssen and Isbrücker in 1971. The specific name is an allusion to the appearance of the fish, which possesses large black patches surrounding the eyes, reminiscent of those found on the giant panda. Accordingly, the common names for this fish, which is a popular aquarium species, are panda corydoras and panda catfish.

The blackstripe corydoras or Bond's catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Yuruarí River in Venezuela and the Corantijn and Rupununi River basins in Guyana and Suriname. In the system of "C-Numbers" developed by the German fishkeeping magazine DATZ to identify undescribed species of Corydoras in the aquarium hobby, this fish had been assigned number "C31" until it was correctly identified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt and pepper catfish</span> Species of fish

The salt and pepper catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Upper Orinoco River basin in Venezuela and Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarf corydoras</span> Species of fish

The dwarf corydoras, dwarf catfish, tail spot pygmy catfish, or micro catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Amazon River and Paraguay River basins in Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The specific epithet hastatus means with a spear, in reference to the spearhead-like spot on the tail root.

<i>Corydoras haraldschultzi</i> Species of fish

Corydoras haraldschultzi is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It is found in Brazil and Bolivia.

<i>Corydoras melini</i> Species of fish

Corydoras melini, the bandit corydoras or false bandit catfish, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the upper Rio Negro and Meta River basins in Brazil and Colombia.

Corydoras nanus is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Suriname and Maroni River basins in Suriname and the Iracoubo River basin in French Guiana.

<i>Corydoras reticulatus</i> Species of fish

Corydoras reticulatus, also called the reticulated corydoras, mosaic corydoras, network catfish, or network corydoras, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Lower Amazon River basin in Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schwartz's catfish</span> Species of fish

Schwartz's catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Purus River basin in Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerald catfish</span> Species of fish

The emerald catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae native to the Amazon Basin in South America. It has traditionally been known as Brochis splendens. The fish has appeared on a stamp in Brazil.

<i>Callichthys callichthys</i> Species of fish

Callichthys callichthys, the cascarudo, armored catfish, bubblenest catfish, hassar, or mailed catfish, is a subtropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Callichthyinae of the family Callichthyidae.

<i>Corydoras julii</i> Species of fish

Corydoras julii is a small freshwater catfish native to eastern Brazil. It is often confused with Corydoras trilineatus, the three stripe corydoras. Corydoras julii are small, peaceful shoaling fish, and are typically kept in groups in captivity.

<i>Megalechis thoracata</i> Species of catfish

Megalechis thoracata is a species of catfish of the family Callichthyidae. M. thoracata is found east of the Andes in the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Paraguay River basins, as well as in the coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil. Recent introductions were recorded in the upper Paraná River drainage.

<i>Corydoras rabauti</i> Small species of tropical freshwater armoured catfish

Corydoras rabauti, also known as the rust corydoras, or Rabaut's corydoras> is a small species of tropical freshwater armoured catfish native to the Upper Amazon, Solimões, and Rio Negro basins in South America. It was first described by the American ichthyologist Francesca Raimonde La Monte in 1941, and is frequently seen in the aquarium trade.

Corydoras fulleri, formerly identified as C116/115 is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae native to South America where it is found in two tributaries of the río Manuripe and a tributary of the río Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin, Peru. It lives in a tropical climate in water with a temperature range of 22–26 °C (72–79 °F).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hellweg, Mike (December 2014). "Corydoras in Miniature". Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Corydoras pygmaeus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Nijssen, Han & I. J. H. Isbrücker. "Chronological enumeration of nominal species and subspecies of Corydoras (Pisces, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae)". Bulletin Zoologisch Museum. 6 (17): 129–135. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Student Dictionary: Pygmy". Merriam-Webster. 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ruffer, Kaycy (January 1, 2002). "Breeding Corydoras pygmaeus". Planet Catfish. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Corydoras pygmaeus". Planet Catfish. July 19, 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Species Profile: Corydoras pygmaeus". Seriously Fish. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Hellweg, Mike. "Breeding the Pygmy Cory". FishChannel.com. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Ranier; Pauly, Daniel, eds. (October 2015). "Corydoras pygmaeus Knaack, 1966". Fishbase. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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