Britski's Cory

About

Found in the upper Paraguay River basin of South America, this peaceful catfish, Corydoras britskii, was long classified under the genus Brochis and still gets called 'Britski's catfish' in older literature. That Brochis history is actually a useful ID clue: like its former genus-mates, it carries an unusually high dorsal fin ray count of 15 to 18 rays, compared to the 6 to 8 rays typical of most other Corydoras. It's one of the quickest ways to tell this fish apart from the more common cories in the hobby. Like all members of the family Callichthyidae, it's protected by rows of bony plates rather than ordinary scales, earning the group the nickname 'armored catfish.' It also has a neat physiological trick up its sleeve: a modified intestine that allows it to absorb oxygen directly from air gulped at the surface, so don't be alarmed when you see it dart up for a quick breath. Worth noting for handling purposes, the stiffened pectoral spines can cause a genuinely painful puncture wound and may carry mild irritating secretions, so use a soft net rather than bare hands. A sociable, diurnal species, it does best in groups of at least six to eight individuals and is a forgiving choice for newer fishkeepers.