Spotted corydoras, longnose corydoras (Corydoras ambiacus) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Spotted corydoras, Longnose corydoras, Brochis ambiacus, Corydoras grafi, Corydoras longirostris
Family
Callichthyidae (armoured catfishes)
Origin
Upper Amazon basin; described from the Rio Ampiyacu in Peru, after which it is named.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
6.5 cm
Temperature
21–25.5°C
pH
6–8
Hardness
Soft to hard, 2–25 dGH
Minimum tank
60 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
peaceful

Care

A long-snouted, spotted cory. Keep it in a group of at least six of its own kind. Our estimate for a group is a tank with a base of about 60 × 30 cm (roughly 60 litres); more floor space is better. As a long-snouted species that digs deeply for food, it needs soft sand rather than gravel, kept clean so the barbels are not damaged. Add driftwood, plants and some shade for cover. PlanetCatfish gives 21–25.5 °C, pH 6.0–8.0 and hardness 2–25 dGH, so it is adaptable, but keep the water clean with regular partial changes and avoid salt and harsh medications, as with all corys. It gulps air at the surface now and then, which is normal, and the fin spines can give a painful jab. Identification: a straw-coloured fish with many indistinct brown spots on the sides, no black markings in the upper half of the dorsal fin, a spotted anal fin and bluish reflections on the cheeks. Several similar spotted, long-snouted species are sold, and PlanetCatfish shows how easily it is confused with Brochis agassizii, so check carefully if you want the true species. Females in corys are generally larger and broader than males. Name: PlanetCatfish and FishBase now place it in Brochis, as Brochis ambiacus, following the 2024 split of Corydoras, but it is still sold as "Corydoras ambiacus". Older synonyms are Corydoras grafi and C. longirostris. Size: PlanetCatfish gives 6.5 cm SL, larger than FishBase (4.9 cm SL); the PlanetCatfish figure is used here. FishBase lists it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2020) and notes it is commercially traded for aquariums. Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=461); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Corydoras-ambiacus.html). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Neither PlanetCatfish nor FishBase gives detailed feeding notes; like other corys it is an omnivorous bottom forager. Feed good sinking tablets or pellets as the staple, with live or frozen bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp for variety, and make sure food reaches the bottom.

Breeding

Rarely reported; PlanetCatfish has a single breeding report on file. Try the usual cory approach: condition a group (ideally with more males than females) on live and frozen foods, then trigger spawning with a large water change using slightly cooler water. Move eggs or adults after spawning, and raise the fry on microworm and newly hatched brine shrimp in very clean water.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and suitable for a community tank of small, calm fish such as tetras, rasboras, pencilfish, dwarf cichlids and other peaceful catfish. Avoid large or aggressive fish and fast feeders that take everything before it reaches the bottom.

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

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