Corydoras loxozonus

Corydoras loxozonus

Corydoras loxozonus was first described by Nijssen & Isbrücker. They belong to the family Callichthyidae which loosely translated means Armored Catfish. They got this name because this family of fish has no scales but 2 rows of bony plates on each side of the body. This family consists of more than 300 species, some of which have not yet been described, making it one of the largest families within the fish species.

The name Corydoras is split into 2 parts – Cory means Helmet and doras means Skin which is an incorrectly used reference to the armour. Loxos means oblique and zona means band in reference to the oblique dark stripe on the flank. Corydoras loxozonus has been given number C082 in the list of Corydoras.

Corydoras loxozonus Description

The shape of Corydoras loxozonus corresponds to that of most Corydoras species. They have an inferior mouth (turned downward) and clearly well-developed dorsal and pectoral fins. The anterior dorsal fin rays are black with the black extending over the top of the flank, obliquely to the bottom of the stipe. A black band extends over the eye from the top of the head to the bottom. The ground color is also light brown/grey. The armor plates are further trimmed with small black spots.

Like all Corydoras species, they have quite strong pointed pectoral fins that they can also lock, this is a defense that allows them to get caught in the throat of the attacker when swallowed. As a result, they can easily get caught in a net when you try to catch them. The tips of the pectoral fins are also quite sharp, so be careful when catching.

The difference between males and females is best seen from above. The females are somewhat rounder in shape and have fuller bodies. The males are also slightly smaller than the females.

Biotope

In the wild, these small Corydoras are found in the Rio Meta basin in Colombia.

Diet

Corydoras loxozonus is an omnivore. They, therefore, need a mixture of vegetable food and meat-like food in their diet. You can give them a mixture of wafers with vegetable food in them, alternating with frozen or live food such as red and black mosquito larvae, tubifex, brine shrimp, Mysis, etc. Provide variety to keep their health optimal.

They are sometimes sold in shops because they clean up waste…. which is not true. They do eat the food remains of other fish, but detritus and decaying plant waste are not eaten. It is therefore absolutely necessary that you give Corydoras their own food and ensure that food also ends up on the bottom. If only waste and excrement end up on the bottom, they starve.

The Aquarium

This fairly small species can already be kept in an aquarium from 50 litres. It is important to remember that it is a schooling fish. Keep them together with at least six specimens, the more the better. In the wild, they can be found in schools of several thousand individuals.

Use fine sand as a substrate. They search for food particles in the sand with their barbels. With pebbles or gravel, the barbels can sometimes be damaged, in some cases, they even lose their barbels due to infections. To avoid damage to their barbels it is best to use rounded (filter) sand. They also like some dim light and a light current in the aquarium. The aquarium can be further decorated with some plants and wood where they can hide.

The temperature for the Corydoras loxozonus should be a bit lower than many people expect with a Corydoras, below 24 degrees Celsius. So keep the temperature in mind when selecting other fish that are kept in the same tank. This species is absolutely peaceful and should therefore only be kept with other peaceful species. It is better to avoid fish that are too large or too aggressive.

Breeding aquarium and conditioning

The breeding aquarium does not have to be very large. A 50 x 30 x 30 aquarium is fine. Usually, the breeding aquarium is kept fairly bare. Only glass or a thin layer of sand can do both. The advantage of only glass is that the breeding tank is easier to keep clean. Make sure that the outflow of the filter is directed towards a part of the glass. The eggs are usually deposited in the current. Use a sponge filter for filtering, these filters give some flow but the fry cannot be sucked into the filter. The water values ​​around pH 7 and a temperature around 24 degrees Celsius are ideal. The breeding group should ideally consist of twice as many males as females.

To keep the fish in shape, they are often fed a varied diet before spawning, but always give them some black mosquito larvae as well. As soon as the female starts to gain weight, she is full of eggs. As soon as she is ready, change more than half of the water with some cooler water. Increase the flow in the aquarium and provide a lot of oxygen in the water by moving the water’s surface. Change that much of the water every day until they have laid eggs.

The Spawn

Before Corydoras loxozonus starts spawning you will see increased activity. The fish start to swim around nervously and also swim up and down against the glass. If the female is willing to mate, the male will chase her for a while. As soon as she is ready they take the T position. Here the male holds the barbels of the female with his pectoral fins and lets go of some sperm. The female then lays an egg, which she holds between her pelvic fins and body. She swims to the spot where the egg is placed. This is usually against the glass where there is also some current on the glass. This process repeats until all the eggs have been laid.

Since Corydoras eat their own eggs you can do two things: Remove the parents or remove the eggs and move them to another tank. Just make sure that if you move the eggs you use water from the breeding tank and that you give the eggs some current. The aquarium in which the eggs are to hatch does not need to be lit, light increases the risk of mold formation. A few drops of Methylene Blue also help against the formation of mold. However, a few eggs will become moldy, so remove them immediately to prevent the mold from spreading.

Raising the fry

The eggs hatch after 3 to 4 days but live on their egg sac for a few more days. The young Corydoras loxozonus can be fed in the initial phase with freshly hatched brine shrimp, micro nematodes, etc. Very fine dust food is also accepted. As the fry grow up, you can gradually switch to slightly larger food. Like their parents, the young corydoras like to gouge. Make sure you have a thin layer of fine sand on the bottom. The various breeding reports show that the risk of disease and death is smaller in raising tanks with a layer of sand than in completely bare tanks.

Conclusion

Corydoras loxozonus is a small, attractive Corydoras species. Note that they require a somewhat lower temperature than many other varieties. Perhaps this is precisely why it is an excellent species to combine with certain other species that like somewhat lower temperatures.

Video

Author

John de Lange

Copyright images

Soulkeeper CC-BY-SA-3.0
Jeff Rapps – Tangledupincichlids.com