Dwarf Corydoras

About

Rabaut's corydoras (Corydoras rabauti) is a small, armored catfish from the upper Amazon, Solimões, and Negro River drainages of South America, where it inhabits slow or sluggish waters that can run low on dissolved oxygen. Like all corydoras, its body is covered in bony plates rather than scales. Part of what earns the broader group their nickname of 'armored' or 'mailed' catfishes. The most useful identification mark is a broad dark stripe running along the upper body that wraps down onto the caudal peduncle; the very similar Corydoras zygatus lacks this lower extension, which is the key to telling the two apart. An occasional albino form also turns up in the trade. One of the genuinely interesting things about this species is its ability to breathe atmospheric air directly, using a highly vascularized section of intestine. You'll see them dart to the surface for a quick gulp now and then. This is completely normal. Handle them with care: the pectoral spines are sharp enough to draw blood, and secretions from glands at their base may be mildly venomous. They're gregarious fish that do much better in groups of six or more. With good care they can live remarkably long lives, sometimes exceeding two decades, so this is a species worth investing in properly.