hese small 'Corydoras type' fish from the Callichthyidae family are very similar to Corydoras but are smaller and slimmer with smaller eyes and have one very important distinct difference from the latter, of having a dual fontanel (opening in the head bone), whereas the Corydoras genus has a single fontanel. To find out more about these differences you can go to The Genus Aspidoras in the Ichthyology section of the ScotCat articles page.

Identifying Aspidoras can be problematic as most of them (apart from Aspidoras pauciradiatus) have body marking of spots and blotches on a tan background and unless you know the precise area in Brazil where they were collected it can be very difficult. I have over the past few years taken drawings of species I have kept, and also seen on the show bench, to differentiate between each species, and will hopefully some day, to be able to identify them from these sketches.

The picture depicted above shows what is believed to be A. menezesi although the colouration is more golden with less spots than the normal form. The fry of this form have black in the leading rays of the dorsal fin and have carried this trait into the juvenile stage.

Aspidoras menezesi needs a little more care to their husbandry than most Corydoras species, in that the water parameters should stringently be adhered to, in that regular water changes of the same chemistry to keep them in good condition. These fish don't seem to do well in the hurly-burly of a community tank and would be better placed in a species tank with strong filtration and well planted, as they do tend to hide and are nervous if there is no protection from the open spaces. They also like the temperatures to be on the lower side of tropical i.e. below 75°f.

If purchasing this nice little catfish do buy at least four, (better six), as they do better in their own company and tend not to sulk with their own kind and of course you could have a better chance of breeding them.