Corydoras leucomelas • Callichthyidae • Cat-eLog • PlanetCatfish

Nose down in the gravel
Two days after capture.
Collecting location, off Rio Yavari, Peru.
Male
Female

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Corydoras leucomelas** Eigenmann & Allen, 1942
Common Name(s)	None
Type Locality	Yarina cocha, cutoff lake at right bank of RÃo Pacaya, near Sarayacu, ca. 5Â°15'S, 74Â°15'W, Upper Amazon, Peru.
Pronunciation	Kory DOOR ass - look oh MELL uss
Etymology	Cory = helmet, doras = skin. In this case it was incorrectly used to mean armour (cuirasse) instead of skin in allusion to the dual rows of plates that run along the flanks of this genus. The specific epithet, leucomelas means ''with white and black''.
Species Information
Size	55mm (2.2") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Corydoras are identified by their twin rows of armour plates along the flanks and by having fewer than 10 dorsal fin rays. They are most commonly confused with the other genera in the sub-family, namely Brochis, Scleromystax and Aspidoras. A very easy fish to misidentify as it is often captured alongside the similar species C. agassizii and C. ambiacus and C. gomezi. C. gomezi has a distinct black spot on the dorsal, C. ambiacus grows larger and lacks the distinct ''mask'' marking through the eye and C. agassizii also lacks the ''mask'' and has much less black on the dorsal. Expect to find these four spp. mixed in many Amazonian Corydoras shipments.
Sexing	Females grow larger and are more full-bodied, this is best observed from above the fish. Males will typically have more pointed as opposed to more rounded fin tips as they mature.
General Remarks	C. leucomelas is known amongst collectors in the Amazon as ''Maldito'' (the little damned Cory) because it is so common that it brings a very low price. As of 2003, collectors in Leticia, Colombia received U.S $7.00 for every 1,000 C. leucomelas they sold to Bogota exporters. It is still collected, however, as many thousand can be captured in a few hours since it is always found in very large schools.
Habitat Information
Distribution	One of, if not the, most common of the upper Amazonian Corydoras sp. This species is common throughout the main river channel and several smaller tributaries in the Ecuadorian, Peruvian, and Colombian Amazon. It can also be found as far downriver as Tabatinga, Brazil. Most commercial collection takes place in Peru and at Leticia, Colombia. Amazon, Upper Amazon (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
pH	5.6 - 7.0
Temperature	25.0-30.0°C or 77-86°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters	Predominately found in black waters.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Omnivore. Happily takes dry, frozen, and live foods.
Furniture	In nature, found over mud substrates in blackwaters. In the aquarium they prefer a sand substrate and enjoy hiding among plants, rocks, and driftwood.
Compatibility	Compatible with tankmates of any size. This species is always found in large schools and a minimum of four individuals is recommended. In the Rio Yavari, Peru they were captured alongside Rineloricaria, Loricaria, and spotted raphaels.
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Fishes West. S. America - pp178 - Pl. 12 (fig. 4) Seuess, W. 1993. Corydoras: The most popular armored catfishes of South America. 218pp. Lambourne, D. 1995. Corydoras Catfish: An aquarist's Handbook. 127pp.
Registered Keepers	(1) Tulio, (2) amergim, (3) guillermo racines, (4) Yan, (5) Barracuda518, (6) philtre, (7) Deb (k: 3), who also notes: "Kept small group in 10G. Liked to hang around in mid-water, on plant leaves. Ultimately the tank was too small.", (8) Birger Amundsen, (9) johnny70, (10) roland369, (11) jollysue (k: 7), (12) thelivelylady, (13) zenyfish (k: 2), (14) reneb, (15) ddaquaria, (16) Plecofanatic1989 (k: 6), (17) TheWetArm (k: 5), (18) Kampfer, (19) nikelodeon79, (20) Tom B (k: 9), (21) saphphx (k: 3), (22) buller42 (k: 6), (23) jha61, (24) lethalcustoms00, (25) bronzefry, (26) rhibear, (27) Hansen (k: 6), (28) aides, (29) dave.h, (30) ecelma, (31) Jude (p: 2), (32) Mark Roesner, (33) DJ-don, (34) PanzerFodder (k: 7), (35) MHS, (36) mace, (37) funkyj1313, (38) This Old Spouse. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species. Add this species to your "my cats" page.
Breeding Reports	None.
More Resources	- Search Planet Catfish for more on Corydoras leucomelas - BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts) - Look up Corydoras leucomelas on AquaticRepublic.com - Look up Corydoras leucomelas on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search. - URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)
Hits	16504 hits.
Last Update	2007 Feb 21 07:45 (species record created: 2001 Apr 30 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Corydoras leucomelas Eigenmann & Allen, 1942

Common Name(s)

None

Type Locality

Yarina cocha, cutoff lake at right bank of RÃo Pacaya, near Sarayacu, ca. 5Â°15'S, 74Â°15'W, Upper Amazon, Peru.

Pronunciation

Kory DOOR ass - look oh MELL uss

Etymology

Cory = helmet, doras = skin. In this case it was incorrectly used to mean armour (cuirasse) instead of skin in allusion to the dual rows of plates that run along the flanks of this genus. The specific epithet, leucomelas means ''with white and black''.

Species Information

Size

55mm (2.2") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Corydoras are identified by their twin rows of armour plates along the flanks and by having fewer than 10 dorsal fin rays. They are most commonly confused with the other genera in the sub-family, namely Brochis, Scleromystax and Aspidoras.

A very easy fish to misidentify as it is often captured alongside the similar species C. agassizii and C. ambiacus and C. gomezi. C. gomezi has a distinct black spot on the dorsal, C. ambiacus grows larger and lacks the distinct ''mask'' marking through the eye and C. agassizii also lacks the ''mask'' and has much less black on the dorsal. Expect to find these four spp. mixed in many Amazonian Corydoras shipments.

Sexing

Females grow larger and are more full-bodied, this is best observed from above the fish. Males will typically have more pointed as opposed to more rounded fin tips as they mature.

General Remarks

C. leucomelas is known amongst collectors in the Amazon as ''Maldito'' (the little damned Cory) because it is so common that it brings a very low price. As of 2003, collectors in Leticia, Colombia received U.S $7.00 for every 1,000 C. leucomelas they sold to Bogota exporters. It is still collected, however, as many thousand can be captured in a few hours since it is always found in very large schools.

Habitat Information

Distribution

One of, if not the, most common of the upper Amazonian Corydoras sp. This species is common throughout the main river channel and several smaller tributaries in the Ecuadorian, Peruvian, and Colombian Amazon. It can also be found as far downriver as Tabatinga, Brazil. Most commercial collection takes place in Peru and at Leticia, Colombia.
Amazon, Upper Amazon (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)

5.6 - 7.0

Temperature

25.0-30.0°C or 77-86°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

Predominately found in black waters.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Omnivore. Happily takes dry, frozen, and live foods.

Furniture

In nature, found over mud substrates in blackwaters. In the aquarium they prefer a sand substrate and enjoy hiding among plants, rocks, and driftwood.

Compatibility

Compatible with tankmates of any size. This species is always found in large schools and a minimum of four individuals is recommended. In the Rio Yavari, Peru they were captured alongside Rineloricaria, Loricaria, and spotted raphaels.

Breeding

Unreported.

Further Information

References

Fishes West. S. America - pp178 - Pl. 12 (fig. 4)
Seuess, W. 1993. Corydoras: The most popular armored catfishes of South America. 218pp.
Lambourne, D. 1995. Corydoras Catfish: An aquarist's Handbook. 127pp.

Registered Keepers

(1) Tulio, (2) amergim, (3) guillermo racines, (4) Yan, (5) Barracuda518, (6) philtre, (7) Deb (k: 3), who also notes: "Kept small group in 10G. Liked to hang around in mid-water, on plant leaves. Ultimately the tank was too small.", (8) Birger Amundsen, (9) johnny70, (10) roland369, (11) jollysue (k: 7), (12) thelivelylady, (13) zenyfish (k: 2), (14) reneb, (15) ddaquaria, (16) Plecofanatic1989 (k: 6), (17) TheWetArm (k: 5), (18) Kampfer, (19) nikelodeon79, (20) Tom B (k: 9), (21) saphphx (k: 3), (22) buller42 (k: 6), (23) jha61, (24) lethalcustoms00, (25) bronzefry, (26) rhibear, (27) Hansen (k: 6), (28) aides, (29) dave.h, (30) ecelma, (31) Jude (p: 2), (32) Mark Roesner, (33) DJ-don, (34) PanzerFodder (k: 7), (35) MHS, (36) mace, (37) funkyj1313, (38) This Old Spouse.

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Add this species to your My Cats species list

Add this species to your "my cats" page.

Breeding Reports

None.

More Resources

- Search Planet Catfish for more on Corydoras leucomelas
Link

- BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts)
Look up AquaticRepublic.com

- Look up Corydoras leucomelas on AquaticRepublic.com
Look up Fishbase

- Look up Corydoras leucomelas on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search.
Link

- URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)

Hits

16504 hits.

Last Update

2007 Feb 21 07:45 (species record created: 2001 Apr 30 00:00)

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