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Corydoras adolfoi, Burgess, 1982

Origin:South-Amerika, Brazil, Upper Rio Negro, Rio Uapes.

Etymology: Named after Adolfo Schwartz.

Synonyms: None, similar species are often mislabelled as Corydoras adolfoi, like Corydoras duplicareus for example, which is shown in the picture on the right.

First American import:Dr. Herbert Axelrod, 1982(Conflicting reports, also A. Schwartz)
First European import: Shortly afterwards from the USA.

Description:Bodycolour beige, large orange spot on the head(turns brownish in full grown fish sadly), black mask over the eyes. Black dorsal line, first finray of caudal and dorsal fin also melinated. The difference with C. Imitator is the snout shape. Imitator has an elongated snout. Difference between C. Adolfoi and C. Duplicareus; C. Duplicareus has a broader black dorsal band, which extends halfway to the linea lateralis. C. Burgessi is larger, and the black dorsal stripe ends after the dorsal fin.

Care:A large 80 cm tank with good filtration, although no strong current is neccessary for the animals well-being. Some floating plants, or driftwood extending to the surface also reduces stress. This creates "protection" when surfacing for air. Temperature minimal 22-23. Wildcaught specimens need lots of hideouts to reduce stress. Mostly active in the morning and evening. Tis is not one of the easier corydoras species to keep!

The origin(Rio Negro) might indicate they are used to black water environments.

Temperature:22-28 °C.

Feeding:Make sure they do get some food occasionally. A small feeding after the light can solve feeding problems. Generally all food is eaten, if they can master it.

Size:6.0cm.

pH: 6.0-7.5

Breeding:Has been bred under aquariumconditions. I've bred these fish in 1998 and in 1999. First time setup; Water: T=25, pH=6, dH=3, Tank 100*50*50, waterlevel 48 cm, internal biofilter partly filled with active peat. One large piece of driftwood(Still caused water-colouration). Plants, surface area completely covered. Some javafern spread throughout the tank. Sandy soil of approx. 1 cm. Five animals, 3 males and two females inhabited the tank. Total corydoras group consisted of 13. Water changes of 20% were carried out monthly. After an absence of 5 days, 3 pinkish eggs were discovered in a mop of green nylon( one female can lay up to 60 eggs, eggeaters!!!). Another time eggs were found on the glass. Fry hatched after 3-4 days. The fry have a freckled appearance. Sadly all of the fry died, probably due to bad feeding. Second time was in a standard corydoras breeding tank. Three days after introduction of the fish, a waterchange with low pH water(below 4.5, endlimit of sera pH test kit) was performed. No temperature changes during this 40% waterchange. The next afternoon eggs had been deposited on the glass at approx 5-10 cm from the surface. Eggs were also deposited on roots of floating plants. All eggs fungused, which may have been caused by a low temperature of 22 degrees.

Sexual dimorphism:Check from above, females are more triangular in shape, they are fatter behind the gills, while males are equal or thinner behind the gills.

Prices:Netherlands: Min price Hfl 12.50 - Max price Hfl 35.00.

Additional:After the fish are used to a tank, any changes will generate a long period of stress for the fish.

Picture references:Picture 1: Unknown origin. Picture 2: E. Naus

References:Lambourne, D.(1995); Hieronimus, H.(1997).Baensch, H. A., Riehl, R.(1989): Aquarien Atlas III. Mergus Verlag, Melle, Germany.