False Bandit Cory

About

The false bandit catfish (Corydoras melini) is one of several small armored catfish from the rio Negro and Meta River systems of South America that share a similar dark-bar pattern across the dorsal surface. What sets this species apart from its close lookalikes is the way that bar forks into two distinct markings just above the tail, a feature it shares only with C. davidsandsi. Though the false bandit can be distinguished by additional dark markings along the flanks and the absence of any orange coloration between its head stripe and dorsal bars. Like all members of family Callichthyidae, the body is protected by bony plates rather than scales, and the pectoral-fin spines are stiff enough to pierce skin, so handle with care. These fish are facultative air-breathers, using a specialized section of intestine to extract oxygen from gulped air at the surface. Completely normal behavior, not a sign of distress. In the aquarium they are thoroughly peaceful and do best in groups of at least six, where they become noticeably more active and confident. Long-lived for a small fish, well-kept individuals can easily reach double digits in age. They are not difficult to breed using the standard cool-water trigger method common across the genus.