| Breeding | Very difficult to breed in a aquarium, but normal cory
breeding techniques can be tried. Use a pH of 6.5 and temperature 26°C. Also try raising the
temperature of the tank to 28°C for a few days and then lowering the temperature back to 26°C,
changing 25% of the water. Pairs remain loyal. These catfish can spawn many times per year.
These catfish do not pratice brood care. They attach their eggs to plants, rocks or even
the glass walls of the tank. You can remove them and place them in a separate rearing tank.
When the fry have used up their yolk sac, they can be fed newly hatched Brine shrimp or crushed
flake food. As with all fish, water quality must be maintained to get good results. People have
also reported success by putting many pairs in together to breed. Some have used strong aeration
to induce the cory's to breed. You can try all.
It's best to separate the breeding pair cause they are usually quite helpless in protecting
the eggs, unlike cichlids. Spread some sand at the base of tank, add in leafy plants
(e.g. amazon sword) and cover half the water surface with floating/loose plants. These helps
to calm the pair. Use fresh water, maintain at 24 degrees Celsius and keep the level low,
not exceeding 20 cm. When they spawn, the female sucks the male's vent and retains the sperm
in her mouth. Then she will blow the sperm out to fertilize the eggs that's held under her
pelvic fins, and place them in selected spots. Eggs normally hatch in 3 to 5 days and brine shrimp
should be prepared. Important to keep water clean. Add a few drops of methylene blue to the
tank having eggs to avoid fungus attack and also keep light aeration and water circulation.
Fry are big in size and can take freshly hatched brine shrimps and they grow fast and can
take other powdered flakes and worms soon. Keep water shallow in the fry tank so that it is
easy for fry to get air from the atmosphere.
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