Corydoras narcissus Nijssen
& Isbrucker, 1980 |
his months factsheet is a Corydoras
arcuatus look-a-like but as seen in the acompanying
photograph it has a longer snout. It grows larger than arcuatus
with a size of 7cm whereas the latter grows to 6cm. Not a very
common cory in the U.K. and only appears sporadically in the retailers
as most of the long-nose Corydoras seem to do.
They are usually quite pricey when they do appear in the retail
outlets stopping most aquarists from buying a few specimens, hence
the lack of success of spawning them. But if you have spawned
them please let me know so I can share it with the online community.
As with most of the longer nosed cory's, care must be taken regarding
water quality as they don't seem to be as hardy as the normal
short nosed varieties. They also like a good water movement in
the aquarium, so an internal filter would be a good idea. Corydoras
narcissus occurs sympatrically with C. arcuatus.
The original specimen was collected by Axelrod, Bleher, Bossche,
Gery and Schwartz in a creek flowing into the Rio Ipixuna, 7°31'S,
63°16'W, 30 km west of Humaitá, Rio Purus system, Amazonas,
Brazil.
The etymology (The science that treats of the origin
and history of words and modification of a particular word) of
narcissus is from the Greek, Narkissos, son of the Greek
river god Kephissus, in honour of those who recently collected
undescribed Corydoras species, and kindly suggested new names
for them.
Dorsal 1/7; Anal 1/5; Pectorals; 1/10. Two
pairs of rictal barbels, one pair of mental barbels; rictal "flap"
present. Medial border of pectoral fin spine strongly serrate. Intercoracoid
area naked. Pectoral fin spine covered with thick mucous skin, embedding
conspicuous odontodes. This my be an indication that the holotype
is a nuptial male, since in some species with a strong secondary
sexual dimorphism (Corydoras barbatus, C.macropterus, C.octocirrus)
the pectoral fin spines of mature males show a similar cover
Ground colour of head and body whitish. Area dorso-posterier to
eye with widely scattered black pigment, forming a conspicuous uneven
stripe from the anterior edge of the nuchal plate to the posterior
of the last dorso-lateral body scute.
The contour of this stripe is straight to below the adipose fin
spine, after which it bends down and forms a vague concentration
of pigment on the caudal peduncle. A thin black line is visible
on the body below the dorsal fin spine. Widely scattered black pigment
on the snout, obliquely running forward from the eye. Dorsal pair
of rictal barbels greyish.
The two branched caudal fin rays, just dorsal to the lower principal
unbranched ray are black coloured. A similar, though less intense
pigmentation is present in the opposite lobe. Upper half of dorsal
fin spine and adjacent branch of first dorsal fin ray with black
pigment. Adipose fin with black pigment on posterior edge. Remaining
fins clear.
Will do well in a community setup with smaller
tankmates such as Rasboras and Tetra's. Do not house with aggressive
species or large Cichlids.
There is a breeding report that the eggs are very tiny and are laid
in two's around the tank and usually in the flow of an internal
filter much like Corydoras aeneus. Temperature was quite
high at 25c (77f) with a pH.of 7.8.
As per usual for the fry (if you are lucky enough to breed them.)
with microworm, brine shrimp naupli and egglayer fry food after
they have used up their yoksac.
Nijssen, H and Isbrücker, I. J. H. Three new Corydoras
species from French Guiana and Brazil (Pisces, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae)
Netherlands Journal of Zoology 30(3); 494-503 (1980)
Top Picture: 
Bottom Picture: 
|
Brazil:
Rio
Ipixuna on Paranapixuna, a tributary of the Rio Purus, 30km
west of Humaita 
