Long-finned Cory

About

Found in the western Amazon River basin, this rarely discussed armoured catfish, Brochis multiradiatus, goes by the informal name 'long-finned brochis' in older hobbyist literature. And the taxonomy around it is genuinely tangled. Once placed in the distinct genus Brochis, it was later folded into Corydoras, though many hobbyists and references still use the Brochis label, and a future reclassification remains possible. Physically, it stands apart from its closest relatives by a noticeably elongated snout and an unusually high dorsal fin ray count. Typically 17 to 18 rays compared to the 6 to 8 seen in most Corydoras. Like all members of the broader callichthyid family, it wears bony plates rather than scales, giving it that characteristic armoured look. One genuinely fascinating trait is its ability to supplement gill breathing by gulping atmospheric air at the surface, processed through a modified, highly vascularised section of intestine. A handy adaptation for oxygen-poor Amazonian waters. If you handle one, be careful: those stiffened pectoral spines can pierce skin, and glandular secretions near the spine base may carry a mild venom. This is a sociable, peaceful species that really should be kept in groups of six or more, where it will be noticeably more active and settled. Breeding has not been documented in the hobby.