A couple more catfish.
by Kevin Korotev
From "Splash," Milwaukee Aquarium Society
Aquarticles
Let me get my list out of the way, first thing. You’ve read this before. If there
are secrets to the successful spawning of Corydoras, Brochis or Aspidoras
catfish, they may be found in here somewhere:
1) If you can get past the ethical issues: Have some tank raised males in the group, as
they SEEM more likely to initiate the spawning process.
2) Be ready with plenty of good live and/or frozen food when the females FIRST ripen.
It seems exponentially harder the longer you/they wait.
3) Keep them cool (under 78 degrees F) and change their water (with still cooler water)
regularly.
4) Keep a regular, but moderate 'current'. I used a sponge fitted powerhead.
5) Keep the pH under 7.0
6) Have a big group.
7) Use black worms with caution. They can help trigger a spawn or a disaster. I suspect
any food can go bad, but this one, so readily used to trigger catfish, can...in my
opinion, be deadly on occasion.
Brochis splendens
Of the two fish included in this article, this was the easy one. Surprise! Brochis
are not supposed to spawn readily. This "bad rap" may begin with fact that Brochis
get larger than most Corydoras and fewer people keep them. They are not cute
little scavengers. You have to WANT Brochis.
Mine were about a year and a half old before spawning began. They were nearly three
inches in length (not THAT big!) and the females were lit up like Christmas. The emerald
iridescence on the body set off the glowing pink bellies. I had no idea this fish was so
attractive.
If there was any special factor needed to induce a spawn, it was the water conditions.
Mine seemed to need straight Milwaukee tap water. Anything softer would shut them right
down. Brochis splendens is a true egg scatterer and the eggs measure nearly as
big as barbatus eggs. You can clearly see them when you enter the room. On one
occasion, I came home from work to find over 400 eggs from three simultaneously spawning
females.
The fry’s appearance was another pleasant surprise. They get a masted dorsal fin
that is nearly as tall as their little bodies are long. Tones of green, brown and black
radiate from the base of the dorsal in a fan pattern. The bodies are marbled until about
four weeks. If they stayed this color they would easily be one of the most sought after
catfish, as they are truly stunning.
Corydoras concolor
These are the most reluctant Corydoras I’ve ever worked with. So much so
that I need to submit two generations worth of fry to get the five required fish! It has
been a journey of nearly two years and a dozen mysterious deaths. I will admit that the
7th point on my list may offer some clue to solving these.
Corydoras concolor, in the right conditions, are beautiful. They’re not
the unmarked dirt colored catfish you often see in the stores…IF you see them in
stores. Typically you would not expect to keep them under the conditions I eventually did:
soft water at about 80 degrees F! Once settled in, they will take on the color of dark
chocolate. Their sides flash an almost steel blue in contrast to their nearly rust colored
fins. Con-color is not entirely appropriate.
My first fruitful spawn was in late 1999. Two of the fish I submit are the only
survivors from that passel of twenty or so fry. Shortly after that one and only spawn, the
females of the group died one by one. I’ve had this happen twice now with Corydoras
groups. The females just…die.
By early spring of this year, 2001, I had a rowdy group of males but hadn’t raised
nor found a female. I turned once again to Eric Bodrock of Pittsburgh and asked if he had
any adult females. He did, but only one.
It took a few months, but Eric’s female came through late this summer with a spawn
nearly identical in size to the first (and only other one). Again, there were about twenty
eggs and fry.
This time I did manage to raise four to the requisite 45 days and submit them.
I could very well have had a little more luck, as I know Eric has, if I’d followed
my own rule #6. It can be difficult though when you’re dealing with a fish that is
hard to find even in a great fish-store-town like Milwaukee.
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