Blacktop Catfish

About

The blacktop catfish (Corydoras acutus) is a small armored catfish from the Amazon basin of northern Peru and Ecuador, with additional records from Brazil's Rondônia and Acre states. Like all corydoras, its body is protected by rows of bony plates rather than ordinary scales. A trait that earned the broader family the nickname 'mailed catfishes'. The species gets its name from a distinctly narrow, tapered snout that sets it apart from many of its relatives at a glance, and the large dark blotch on the dorsal fin is the other feature that sticks in your memory. The caudal fin carries several vertical bars, and the clavicle and operculum carry subtle blue reflections. One practical note for anyone netting or handling these fish: the pectoral-fin spines are stiff, sharp, and capable of piercing skin, and there's some evidence that secretions near the spine base may cause extra discomfort beyond a simple puncture. Worth keeping in mind when doing tank maintenance. Corydoras acutus can also breathe atmospheric oxygen by gulping air at the surface. A handy adaptation for low-oxygen environments in the wild, and something you'll notice regularly in the aquarium. Identifying it with certainty can be tricky because several look-alike forms with uncertain taxonomic status circulate in the hobby under C-numbers like C024, C077, and C109. Overall though, this is a sociable, undemanding species and a solid choice for newer fishkeepers who want a bottom-dweller with some character.