Depinnai Cory

About

Found in the Ipojuca River basin of northeastern Brazil, Aspidoras depinnai is a miniature armored catfish that belongs to the same family as the popular corydoras. Adults max out at just under an inch and a half, making them among the smaller catfish available to hobbyists, yet what they lack in size they more than make up for in longevity. Well-kept individuals can live for two decades or more, which is worth keeping in mind before you commit. One of the more interesting things about this species is its facultative air-breathing ability, meaning it can supplement gill respiration by gulping air at the surface, a useful adaptation in the slow, sometimes oxygen-poor waters of its home range. Like most of its relatives, it is a peaceful, sociable bottom-dweller that does best when kept in a group of its own kind rather than as a lone individual or mixed into an unrelated catfish cluster. It spends most of its time sifting through substrate and picking at small food items, so a soft, fine-grained bottom suits it well. The intermediate care rating reflects its specific social needs and water quality expectations more than any particular aggression or fragility.