Corydoras schwartzi “Schwartz’s Cory Catfish”

Schwartz’s Corydoras Catfish, Corydoras schwartzi, is, in my opinion, one of the more attractively marked Cory Cats out there. Unfortunately, it’s said to be a difficult species to breed, and isn’t bred all that often. This means it’s more likely to be encountered as a wild-caught fish, but for the right enthusiast that just means it’s a great challenge to try to take on. As with all cory cats, it’s a peaceful species. It appreciates a nice sandy bottom (no rough gravel, which can cause mouth abrasion, infection and barbel loss), performs well in planted aquariums, and does best in groups. This species maxes out at about 2.75″ in size.

Corydoras catfish often tend to be a bit rough upon arrival, so they are given extra holding time before we offer them for sale; feel free to inquire how long the fish have been on hand prior to ordering; you may be surprised to learn it’s months, or even a year or longer (I often toy with the idea of breeding Corydoras in-house here, so I’m never in a hurry to part with them). Corydoras spp. catfishes can be sensitive to shipping; some are thought to release toxins in transit as well that wind up self-poising them before you ever get them in the tank. I take steps to combat this of course.