e are all now very familiar with the L-number codes that frequent
many importers establishments and there are not many of us without
at least one L-number in our tanks, but since late 1993 we have
had the C-numbers implemented for
the Corydoras by German aquarist and author Hans Georg-Evers
for the DATZ magazine and this has now grown (Feb. 2005) up to,
and including C 132.
When we talk of C-numbers for Corydoras
we should rightly name them for the Corydoradine subfamily
which includes the Aspidoras genus which takes us nicely
on to this months factsheet (Feb.2005) and to a small species
from Brazil, Aspidoras sp. (C 125). All Aspidoras
species occur in Brazil but there is no named location so
far for this fish and only the exporters will know of its capture
location.
This Aspidoras first appeared in the German DATZ magazine
(page 32) by Hans Georg-Evers in the 3rd edition of 1993
and was bred by him and other aquarists in Germany. I visited
Hans in August 2003 and was fortunate enough, along with another
Corydoras author and aquarist, Ian Fuller, to take away
a dozen or so fry from his premises and safely home to the U.K.
These fish are pictured above at full size which I believe to
be 4cm. and are very active at feeding and any other times.
Above are a breeding pair of C 125s spawned by Adrian Taylor,
secretary of the Catfish
Study Group (U.K). The colours on this pair are muted owing
to the absence of any substrate in the photographic tank.
Above you can see the fruits of his labour, and to read his breeding
report you can view his article, exclusive to ScotCat, here.
There are at present 6 species of Aspidoras that are unclassified
and been given C-numbers. The following are C 035, C 036, C 037,
C 118, C119 and our factsheet of the month, C 125.
Basic Aspidoras shape with
small eyes and dual fontanel. Smaller size
and body shape in Aspidoras compared to the much more bulkier
Corydoras. Smaller head shape
in Aspidoras compared with Corydoras. Aspidoras
posses a duel fontanel bone structure in skull whereas Corydoras
have only the one larger fontanel.
Longitudinal band on body is interrupted
by 3 to 4 dark blotches with the caudal blotch sometimes joined
up to form a band. Common to this genus is the three blotches on
the dorsolateral part of the body with the first at the beginning
of the dorsal spine and the second on the rear of the dorsal position.
The third is just in front of the adipose fin. Four bands to caudal
fin and one to dorsal.
Can be kept in a community tank but would
need to be housed with small fish such as tetras and rasboras. A
best bet would be a species tank or as mentioned, a small community
tank with non aggresive species, with a sand or small gravel substrate
and an internal or sponge filters. Plants would be an advantage
to make them feel more secure, but this is basicly not a shy species
when settled in to your tank set-up.
Breeds in the Corydoras fashion
laying their eggs on either java moss or spawning
mops. You can remove the eggs to a separate small container and
raise the fry in this method for a few days after they have taken
up their egg sac and gone on to a feeding regime. You can then move
them further on to a small tank with a bubble-up or sponge filter,
making sure that the water parameters are the same all along the
line.
Will take flake food, tablet food and small
based live or frozen food such as micro worm or brine shrimp.
Evers-Georg, Hans; DATZ
magazine 3/2004 (p32)
Top: 
Middle & Bottom: Adrian W.Taylor |
Brazil
