# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Catfishes >  Corydoras hastatus sighted!!!

## celticfish

As titled! 
Unfortunately its in a private collection...  :Opps: 
Knowing the great interest with these little fellas I thought I'd take some shots.
Enjoy the photos!  :Grin: 

Foreground a little overexposed.
These guys are waiting for feeding time.



This picture is a little blurred due to the angle it was shot.
You can tell its a feeding frenzy with the food particles all around!

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## Panut

its from lfs or owner?

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## Samuel2618

Nice.. That is C. Hastatus.. Hope they will reach our shore soon.. Really miss them a lot in my tank last time..

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## whiskerbreed

Nice! 
I can see quite a few females..maybe one day they'll breed for you!
 :Grin: 

Haiz..reminds me of my C. hastatus.
 :Smile: 


SuD
 :Cool:

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## properfool

Bleah what a cruel title...I'm sure you got all the C. hastatus maniacs excited and ready to dash to the LFS for a moment there

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## leeruisheng

Wah nice. These fishes just introduced into the tank? Cause they looked rather pale.

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## benny

OOHHH!!!!!! Such lovely fishes! This species is one of my favorite!!

I do hope they breed too!!

Cheers,

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## ranmasatome

I'm sure they will breed. But need to fatten them up first...  :Smile:

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## aquanatix

ARGH! What a misleading post! And there i was wondering why this wasn't posted in the aquatalk area with the other sightings thread! Damn they're beautiful! Wonder who's the lucky guy who's hoarding these little buggers! :Evil:  Anyway,looks like he managed to breed them over the years? Anymore info regarding these fishes _celtic_?

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## celticfish

Sorry to get some of you so excited with the post and pictures...  :Roll Eyes: 
I had done some searching in the forum and realized the last sighting was in second half 2002!  :Shocked: 

@ whiskerbreed,
Now that's good news on the females!

@ leeruisheng,
Yes, I thought they were looking a little pale too.
But I did overexpose the shots though.
Hopefully thats the cause.


The fish were imported "manually"...  :Grin: 
For some reason or another the LFS/farms have not been too interested in these cute cories.
Maybe I can bring my camera and show auntie the pictures.
I suspect there may be enough numbers to make a "special request".
But no promises on this okay?  :Opps: 

But if that fails, rest assured the owner is definitely trying his darndest to breed them!  :Laughing: 
They do need some fattening up as Ranma suggest though.
However, I also realize that there are some with black eyes in the group.
That's good news people.
Its one of the signs that the female are "ready to drop"!  :Wink:

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## aquanatix

Imported manually?Any idea which exact country?
But still it's good news,at the very least someone here has them and trying to breed them! Let's just hope auntie will consider a special shipment!sigh~ :Sad:

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## Cpark188

I saw many corydoras Panda at polyart, very cute looking baby panda.

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## celticfish

Actually the LFS are dependent on the "importers" to bring in any fish.
If the margins are good they will keep bringing them in "while stocks lasts".
Just like last years L046 diarrhea...  :Grin: 

I managed to get some of these beauties for myself and they have been doing "it" consistently for sometime now...





Sorry the pictures aren't too clear.
Plastic does not have good optic qualities!  :Opps: 


Only trouble is that I can't seem to get the fry past a week!
Tried microworms to no avial, green water, java moss, spirulina, etc...
I think I need divine intervention to get them past the one week mark!  :Embarassed: 
I believe once they pass that they should be quite "home free", or so I thought...

But guess what?
I has the occassional one or two from each spawning make it to about 10 to 15 mm.
These would suddenly die leaving me to pick up their carcass when I check the tank.  :Knockout: 
That got me thinking if they were dying from a stage where they take their "first breath" from the water surface.
BTW this is my first time breeding Corydoras so other than the "standard" articles avialable on the Internet...
I must say, "I don't know the difference from the rat's head from its rear end!"
Dang! Reminds me of the time I had to do that for the L046 fry (almost daily)...  :Exasperated: 

The adult numbers have dwindled quite dramatically (below 50% original number) and time is running OUT!!! 


*"HELP! HELP! I've fallen and I can't get up!"*

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## ranmasatome

hey.. maybe you should try raising up the fry in a separate tank. They might be getting mauled or out competed by the adults? either intentionally or unintentionally. Perhaps a tank with lower water level and a available food?

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## genes

I removed 3 eggs to a breeder box last time to test the survival rate of hatching them in it and hatching them in the main tank where the adults are. In the main tank, no survivals. The 3 in the breeder box upon hatching i put them into a separate 1ft cube tank with moss and even with minimal feeding and just an Eden501, they managed to reach to sub-adults and started schooling with the adults when i released them back to the main tank. Breeding cories is definitely hardwork...at least harder then apistos.

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## celticfish

Yes, I recall our conversations on these guys.

Currently I harvest the eggs into a plastic tub for hatching.
I find this increases the hatch rate as you suggest genes.
Leaving them in the main tank only keep the chance of predation present.
But I do find the "parent eating eggs" can be _reduced_ in a larger sized tank.

With the increased hatch rates I had more fry to try different iterations to ween them.
But the "sudden deaths" of the 10mm+ ones are really confounding me.
They would be doing well and dandy and I suddenly find them dead the next day.
Some have swim bladder problem where they float to the surface.
After this happen most seem to die except for one that survived till about 20mm.
Which is why I was thinking about the first "breath" idea (they may need a lower depth tank?).

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## StanChung

> Leaving them in the main tank only keep the chance of predation present.


 I second that. I see a lot of babies but so far only left 6 that have grown to juvenile age.
Currently am overjoyed at having 6 _C. duplicareus_. A simple pleasure  :Jump for joy: 

They lay their eggs everywhere-I found one or two eggs under almost every moss rock! I have more than ten moss rocks in my 5ft tank.

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## cory

Hi celticfish,

Can include me in the list if you make a special request? I should be able to accomodate 15 C. hastatus in my 3.5 footer cory tank. 

May I also inquire about C. venezuela orange if you have the means of making request? I just check with Tiong Bahru Ben yesterday and he replied that he have not seen C. venezuela orange for years in the local market. The last time I managed to get hold of them was in 2003 in Pasir Ris Farmway 2 Lot 035. The fishmart was no longer in operation when I went back there last month. I should be able to accomodate 20 to 30 if the lfs has agreed to bring in the above mentioned corydoras.

Really appreciate your kind gesture & help. 

Thanks.
cory.

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## celticfish

For a 3.5 ft tank 15 pieces will be swallowed up!  :Grin: 
I afraid the very kind forummer who help me did the order last year...

As for local I supply, I did take pictures for Mrs. Toh to ID the chinese name for the importers.
Apparently no one has yet taken the steps to get these fellas here.
What I hear is the mortality rate after shipping is quite terrible and the importers steered clear after some import fiascos? (need someone to confirm this "hearsay" from me)
Also, the usual 800lbs gorrila market of Japan and Taiwan easily take the whole/most of the allotment for asia.
Let's hope our local importers see profit in this fish.
Its probably the only way we will ever see it in an LFS.

You best bet is a holiday to Taiwan or a friend going there for a trip.
Hopefully its a fishie friend so they know what to do.  :Grin: 

C. venezuela orange... hmm... I have to think about that one as I'm quite specific about fish I keep.

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## cory

> C. venezuela orange... hmm... I have to think about that one as I'm quite specific about fish I keep.


Well.... a man's meat is another man's poison.  :Grin: 

thanks anyway... do keep me update if you really make the special request

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## celticfish

Stan,
I can't imagine having to "harvest" Corydoras eggs in a 5ft!

cory,
Haven't seen these in a while too.


All the second half of the eggs have hatched.
Here's a group shot.



Close-up.



Closer...



Here is a fry as its adopting the adult colours.
You can still see some brown mottle from the verticle stripes it had initially.



An older fry with less brown mottleing pattern left.



Just when I think I have a break....

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## Ah_ZhaN

Woah, excellent! Looks like so much fun ~!!  :Grin:

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## StanChung

Wow, that's a pretty good haul and nice pics!

I was cleaning up the tank for a pic opportunity actually and came across these sticky little blobs! After realising what they were, I just pulled up every moss rock to count them like an excited little kid!  :Laughing:  

I didn't know the eyes get dark when the females are ready to 'drop'. Do all/most species corydoras exhibit this behaviour?

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## celticfish

I think the only reason I got away with the "haul" is the low profile of the tank, just over 1 ft.
But its back-breaking work Itell you! 
I can't imagine doing the same for your planted 5 ft setup!  :Shocked: 

I feel the same! prezzies galor!  :Grin: 
But the best is the four fellas that have the adults colours.
Just checked the grow-out tank and there's two more right behind the 4 in development.
And many many more behind the two!
Keeping my fingers crossed I might find something that works to ween them past the critical stage.
Must be something in the L046 grow-out tank.
Though I can't say the same for the L046 fry... they are still puny at three months!!!  :Exasperated:

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## StanChung

As for weaning, i think planted tank mulm helps. They grow into sub adults in 3-4 months. They grow faster in my 3ft tank than in the 5ft. [one got accidentally transfered to the 3ft]

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## aquanatix

Congrats on your spawn celtic,our chances of getting some right here in SG has just increased exponentially! :Grin: 
Now that you mentioned it...the mysterious mortality rates apparently applies to all 3 pygmy species?
I had trouble with my pygmaeus and hasbrosus fries as well initially,they seemed to die off every other day during the few weeks.
Have never tried breeding bigger corydoras species so hopefully more experienced corydoras enthusiaists can help shed some light on the issue? 
In any case, my eggs are manually removed from breeding tank then raised in a 6inch cube tank with only about 8cm of water depth.
I had no success with BBS but only on microworms but they too have to be fed rather sparingly as i often find my cory fries dead in pools of microworms. :Embarassed:  
Other then light aeration controlled via a manual valve,my tank is kept in room temperature placed beside a window.
My previous batches of pygmaeus fries have all experienced good survival rates but not sure how these parameters will affect your hastatus and my current hasbrosus spawn.
Do keep us updated again,there is much to learn :Angel:

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## celticfish

aquanatix,
You really must catch your breath when you "speak"!
Otherwise you face might turn blue!  :Grin: 
Many thanks for sharing your experience with pygmy Corydoras.
I have the same experience as you with the microworms.
I stayed away from BBS mainly due to the troublesome nature of it.
But I did read some reports that mentioned it may not be as great for some Corydoras.
I'm sureit has its place with some species but I reckon they won't go too well with the pygmy species due to size.
Probably after the first week.
But as you note its the first week thats the make or break!


UPDATE:

The pictures are really not as good as I like.
But I only have 2 ft of space to fit myself and the camera!
And to top it off its the lowest tier!
For what it's worth, the pictures...


First shot was an eager beaver one!  :Evil: 
I had all the subjects plus some younger ones in place only the focus distant was lacking...



Second shot, the four with full adult colours!
As you can see they have started to "pack-up"!
It's moments like this that make all the water change and chores you do worth it!  :Jump for joy: 



More important is the "next wave".
There must be about 10+ of them that have past their first week!  :Grin: 
Very much like the one on the left but a little bigger...


There are losses though.
Just "fished" out 4 dead ones that look like they just used up their yoke sack.
I'm quite alright with some loss like these.
Just not like the total wipe-outs of before.
Hopefully this will be a start.
With the four I have replaced about 10% of the original stock.
O, I have replaced 20% of the loss stock.  :Grin:

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## aquanatix

Haha! It's getting harder and harder to do so, after all we are talking about these lovely fishes! I've been wishing to own these babies forever,knowing that someone here locally has and bred them successfully just made it sweeter. So do pardon my over excitement whenever i follow your posts!  :Grin: 
As you mentioned...if microworms do not do well,what other first fry food do you recommend?Would using say liquifry work?

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## leeruisheng

Hi Celticfish,

Are you still breeding hastatus? Is your method of raising the fries still the same as in removing the eggs from the adults? 

And are females distinguished by black eyes?

I got a batch sometime ago from you and finally today saw some eggs on the tank walls. 

Thanks alot.

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## genes

Wah, congrats! Harvest the eggs like what celticfish did. I tried hatching the eggs in the mother tank but they either get eaten before it hatched or eaten after they hatched. Raise the fries in an alternate tank.

To me, black eyes is not indicative of the sexes. Body shape being rounder and bigger and rounded anal fins signifies a female.

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## leeruisheng

Ok thanks. But not as many eggs as you guys harvested. Mine, only about 5 eggs spotted.
I did about 1/2 tank water change yesterday and scrub the walls and this morning spotted the eggs.

Is there a need to wait for sometime before removing the eggs so that the male would have fertilized the eggs?

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## genes

You can remove the eggs already. There could be more then 5, check your plants and mosses. They love to lay their eggs on the mosses. The eggs are fertilized upon attaching to the glass or plants. 

Scenario is like that, female swims frantically around looking for place to lay eggs. Males, can be more then one male swim next to her. Once she finds spots, she lays and goes on to the next spot for the next egg. Males fertilize the eggs and carry on chasing after her.

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## celticfish

That's great news!
Don't worry about the brood size yet.
I believe as the females put on bulk the egg count grows steadily.

Agree on all the points genes has mentioned.

What I do is harvest the eggs into a tub.
I do daily water change from the parent tank 25-50%.
It helps if you have some moss I believe.
After they hatch I send them to their own nursery.
This is the only way I had success with the fry.
I think its the sand bottom that helps them pass the critical stage after the yoke sack gets absorbed.

Regarding the fertilization part I'm still not too clear though I've witness it a couple of times.
Must be their overall size that makes my ability to observe difficult.
I read there's speculation that the femals ingest the sperm during the classical T formation and passes the sperm to the pelvic fins where the egg is held.

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## leeruisheng

Thanks. Manage to safely transfer 3 eggs to a fry cage. 

Just wondering what and how did you guys pick up the eggs? I was picking up with a flat plastic piece but 2 of the eggs are not as sticky as the others and they are lost on the gravel.

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## gnihc11

Congrats, man.

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## leeruisheng

Thanks.

Here's a 1 day old egg.

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## genes

I use a plastic spoon and sometimes my fingers to peel them off the glass. They are actually quite hard.

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## leeruisheng

ok thanks. 

3 day old and black markings were formed.

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## leeruisheng

5 day old. More visible black markings.

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## PKB

Guys, I hope I saw the right spieces. Think I saw them at Seaview last weekends.  :Opps:

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## genes

Those are Corydoras pygmeaus. See Here for the pictures of the these 2 fishes.

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## leeruisheng

Day 5, eggs finally hatched and wriggle out of the cage. 

1 day old _Corydoras hastatus_.

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## PKB

> Those are Corydoras pygmeaus. See Here for the pictures of the these 2 fishes.


Thanks for pointing out the differences.  :Smile:

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## StanChung

Lee, what are you going to feed the newborns?

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## leeruisheng

Test question?

The fries have escaped out of the breeder box into the main tank to join with the adults. So Im not sure of their survivability.

But i hope that the mosses, mulm, branches will provide hideout and food. 
I ve minced frozen blood worms mixed with spirulina powder. Some almost mince bloodworms to be fed to adults and hopefully the fries will feed on the blood worms if not, the spirulina particles.

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## Wackytpt

Ruisheng,

can share your setup and pictures?

I just set up mine.

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## leeruisheng

Simple setup.

-Overflow filter.
-Seachem onyx sand (I guessed this sand is slightly alkaline). But maybe the texture of the sand is not so suitable for the fries or cories.
-Taiwan moss, moss ball, branches.
-Water change at the moment 1/4 weekly.

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## Wackytpt

How many pieces in there?

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## leeruisheng

10 adults. To date, saw a total of 6 eggs attached on the wall. Didnt checked on the moss as I didnt want to disturb the substrate.

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## StanChung

Not a test but I wondering because I just got myself some pygmy corydoras and the babies[if and when!] would be even tinier-just not sure what to feed them.

Thanks for sharing- I have some human grade but expired spirulina in the fridge  :Grin:

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## genes

I feed the newborns micro worms and ADA AP1 Gold.

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## leeruisheng

> Not a test but I wondering because I just got myself some pygmy corydoras and the babies[if and when!] would be even tinier-just not sure what to feed them.
> 
> Thanks for sharing- I have some human grade but expired spirulina in the fridge


I see, cause I was under the impression that you have raised hastatus fries before as mentioned in the earlier posts you made and so thought you would know what to feed the tiny ones. Thus thought it was a test question. haha.

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## StanChung

Thanks for the tip Genes.

Lee, I had some _C. duplicareus_ fries the last time a few months back and I had no idea what they ate when they were tiny. I've got 5 that's now about 2cm- probably stunted.  :Opps:

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## apistomaster

I breed my Corydoras hastaus in a 20 gal long permanent colony style set up. I began with 10 wild caught C. hastatus and since then I have harvested and sold about 200 over about 2-1/2 years and still have almost 100. I also have a cherry shrimp colony coexisting with them. There only needs to be some fine leaved plants and other hiding places for the eggs and larvae. The adult do not eat their eggs or fry.

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## celticfish

Relevant Revival!!  :Evil: 


Can you spot the contaminant?  :Confused:

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## weiquan

are these corys back on sale? haven't been hanging around fish shop recently.
would love to buy some to school.

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## Wackytpt

Hmm... doesn't look like hastatus... haha...

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## wrongwroks

wa, where you get your hastatus? =( i finding for very long still cant find sia. sigh

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## stormhawk

celtic, more Aphyocharax paraguayensis?  :Grin:

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