Adolfo's catfish/corydoras (Corydoras adolfoi) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Adolfo's cory, Adolfo's catfish, Adolf's catfish, Hoplisoma adolfoi
Family
Callichthyidae (armoured catfishes)
Origin
Upper Rio Negro near São Gabriel da Cachoeira and probably the Rio Uaupés, Brazil – soft blackwater forest streams and flooded forest.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
6 cm
Temperature
20–26°C
pH
5.6–7
Hardness
Soft; blackwater preferred (about 1–5 dGH)
Minimum tank
54 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
peaceful

Care

A striking cory with a bright orange patch on the nape, a clear dorsal fin, a rounded snout and a thin dark stripe along the back. It is peaceful and social: keep a group of at least six, and more if space allows. None of the sources gives a firm tank size; a tank with a base of at least 60 × 30 cm (around 54 litres) is a sensible minimum for a group of a cory this size. PlanetCatfish suggests dense planting around the edges with a large open area in the middle for swimming and foraging. Use a soft sand substrate (smooth, rounded gravel at a push, kept spotless) to protect the barbels, and add driftwood and leaf litter for cover. Filtration need only be gentle – an air-driven sponge filter is usually enough. This is a blackwater fish from very soft, acidic, tea-coloured water, so it does best in a soft-water tank at about 20–26 °C. PlanetCatfish gives pH 5.6–7.0, a little narrower than the pH 4–7 quoted by Seriously Fish; we use the PlanetCatfish figures here. Keep the water clean and stable and do not let nitrate or dirt build up in the substrate. Like other corys it is sensitive to salt and many medications. It is one of several similar Rio Negro corys with a dark bar on the back. It is most easily confused with Corydoras duplicareus, which has a broader dark bar and a more intense orange patch; Wikipedia also compares it to Brochis imitator, which has a longer snout. Females are larger than males and look fuller when seen from above. After the 2024 split of Corydoras the valid name is generally given as Hoplisoma adolfoi, though PlanetCatfish still files it under Corydoras, and it is nearly always sold as "Corydoras adolfoi". Much of the stock in the trade is wild-caught from a small area, which makes it dearer than common corys. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species is named after the collector and exporter Adolfo Schwartz. Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=1); Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-adolfoi/); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Corydoras-adolfoi.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corydorasadolfoi). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A foraging omnivore. Feed a good sinking pellet or tablet as the staple, with regular small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm for variety. Make sure food reaches the bottom – it should never be left to live on leftovers from other fish.

Breeding

Has been bred in aquariums. PlanetCatfish suggests a group of at least six with about three males to each female; females grow larger and become clearly rounder when ripe. Condition well on live and frozen foods, then do a large (50–70%) water change with cooler water and increase oxygenation and flow, repeating daily until they spawn. Eggs are fairly large (about 2 mm) and are placed on leaves or the glass a few at a time, typically 20–30 per spawning. The adults give no care, so remove them or the eggs. Many breeders add a little methylene blue or an alder cone or two to stop fungus. Incubation is about 3–4 days, and the fry take microworm and newly hatched brine shrimp once their yolk sacs are used up. Spotless water is essential for raising them.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and an excellent choice for a soft-water community. Ideal companions are other corys, small South American tetras, pencilfish and dwarf cichlids such as Apistogramma. Avoid large or aggressive fish and anything that needs hard or alkaline water.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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