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his Cory used to be the "Holy Grail" for Corydoras enthusiasts around the world but in recent years the price has plummeted for this very nice and colourful species due to the continuing spawning's and distributing of the youngsters.

Corydoras weitzmani

A little history on this species makes interesting reading. The first specimens were collected in 1949 by C. Kalinowski and it wasn't until 1971 that it was finely described by Nijssen and named after Dr. Stanley Weitzman, Curator at the Smithsonian Institution for Natural History. The precise location at the time was never given for this species as it was being kept secret for future collections. The original description cited that this species lives high up in the mountains above 11,000ft so would need lower temperatures in the aquarium, and so the myth was born for this "Holy Grail" Corydoras.

In the fourthcoming years collectors, including Dr. David Sands who had one of the first comprehensive catfish books published in the early eighties, the much heralded 5 volume set "Catfishes of The World" sought this species in Cusco but of course in higher locations in this area. It was not until 2004 that it was rediscovered by Lance Peck near the town of Quince mil in Peru in the Rio Araza drainage, Cusco State.

Corydoras weitzmani - juvenile

The first spawning's of this species was credited to Ian Fuller of CorydorasWorld in 2004 and at the time fetched very high prices but in the intervening years the price has dropped with the the continuing breeding of this species for the aquarium hobby.

Remarks: C. weitzmani is placed in Lineage 9, the "short-snouted" species with the designated type species: C. punctatus. A revision in the future would constitute the resurrection of the genus name Hoplosopma (Agassiz, 1846).

Two saddle corydoras

None

Corydoradinae

South America: Peru, Est. Cuzco, at Cuzco. Type locality: Rio Araza drainage, Cusco State.

Male 5.0cm (2ins) Female 5.5cm (2¼ins)

22-26°C (71-79°F)

6.0-7.5.

Head short and compact.

Ground colour of head and body, tan. Black pigment across head and over eye forming a mask. Remainder of head pale. Two prominent brown to black blotches on sides of body, larger blotch below dorsal fin and smaller below adipose fin. Scattered pigmentation covers upper part of body. Belly region tan. Dorsal fin with scattered pigmentation most dense on spine, first and second soft rays and membrane between these rays. Base of adipose fin and membrane black. Pectoral, ventral and anal fin with scattered pigmentation.

This is akin to most of this genus, very peaceful, and would be best housed with small to medium sized tankmates such as Tetras, Rasboras and Danios or in a species tank for breeding purposes. Best to purchase 6 individuals or more as they will be happier in a group. As with most Corydoras they are peaceful.

There are documented records of Corydoras weitzmani having been spawned in aquaria and we have numerous articles on the breeding of this genera here.

As with most other species of catfish the males tend to be more slender than the females. The females are described as being larger and plumper especially when ready to spawn. The males are described as being more strikingly coloured than the females.

As with all the other catfish that I have had the pleasure to keep over the years, Corydoras weitzmani readily accepts a mixed and varied diet which includes tablet and granular foods, frozen bloodworm and good quality flake.

Adipose fin: Fleshy finlike projection without rays, behind the rayed dorsal fin.
Anal fin: The median, unpaired, ventrally located fin that lies behind the anus, usually on the posterior half of the fish.
Caudal fin: The tail.
Dorsal fin: The primary rayed fin(s) on top of the body.
Pectoral fin: The paired fins just behind the head.
Ventral fin: The paired fins, between the pectorals and the anal fins.

Corydoras: Cory = helmeted; doras = leathery skin,(helmeted Doras) cuirass.
weitzmani: In honour of Dr. Stanley H. Weitzman, the American ichthyologist.

Alexandrou, Markos & Taylor, Martin. (2011). Evolution, ecology and taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited.
CAGB magazine no. 5 January 1975.
Ian A. M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers (2011). Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Ian Fuller Enterprises.

Photo Credits

Top image: © Ian Fuller @ 
Bottom image © Yann Fulliquet