Bronze Catfish

COMMON NAMES: Bronze Catfish, BronzeCorydoras.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Corydoras aelteus

DESIGNATION: Tropical, but can tolerate upper end of the coldwater range

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: South America. SIZE: Around 7.5 cm (3 in).

WATER PREFERENCES: Not critical, but neutral or slightly alkaline water is preferred. Temperature: 18-26°C (64.5-79°F).

DIET: All foods, particularly bottom-dwelling live foods.

BREEDING: The adhesive eggs are carried around for a time by the female in her cupped pelvic fins, and are later deposited on surfaces or plants.

DESCRIPTION: Several wild-type colour varieties exist, plus a popular man-made albino form. Like all Corydoras, C.aeneus is a peaceful shoaler which can damage its barbels if the substratum of the tank is rough-edged.

Bronze Catfish Information

• The bronze cat fish can be easily bred. If the tank is well set and the fish is given proper nutritious food, the fish will be able to breed.
• To try you hands with breeding you are recommended to buy at least 6 fish so that you will have the population of both male and female. The fish would be able to breed and survive well in case you keep 6 of them in a tank holding at least 40 liters of water with a sponge filter. Try to maintain the temperature of fish at an average of 25 degree Celsius and the ph level of the water as 6.8. The type of the water should be preferably soft.
• The fish may be well fed with food items like the sinking wafers, shrimp pellets, frozen blood worms and other frozen diet tablets.
• For breeding the fish you must hold some patience. In most cases the bronze cat fish that are avail in the fish pet shops are too young to be sexually matured. You have to wait for a certain time period to produce a brood of fry.
• The fish prefers to stay in a slightly acidic type of water. In wild the mixing of the rain water helps the ph level to go down which makes the water bit acidic and ideal for the fish to survive. You are recommended to change the water of the aquarium at a regular basis. Change almost 50% of the water of the aquarium at a regular basis. This would help the fish to realize that the rains have arrived. Pour fresh water to the tank slowly or you may also use a water can. Make sure that the temperature of the water reduces to about 2 degree after you change the water.
• For successful hatching of the eggs you are recommended to separate the eggs from their parents. The parent fish has the habit of eating their own egg. So, wait for the eggs to be at least 24 to 30 hours of age and they scrap the eggs with the help of a half cut straw at one end and your finger as the other end. The eggs should only be transferred only when they turn brown in color.