Into the CanopyAnimal care sheets

Home / Fishes / Catfish / Reticulated corydoras

No federal permit to keep

Reticulated corydoras

Corydoras reticulatus

Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)

Brochis reticulata, also called the reticulated corydoras, mosaic corydoras, network catfish, or network corydoras, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging the family Callichthyidae, the armored catfishes, and the subfamily…

Aquarium hobby
Experience: Beginner
Reticulated corydoras
Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
FamilyCorydoras and armored catfish
Adult lengthup to 2.4 in
WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

  • Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.4 in / 6.1 cm).
  • Water: Freshwater.
  • Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
  • pH: 6–8.
  • Hardness: 2–25 dGH.
  • Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
  • Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

  • Tank: a base of at least 24 × 15 in (roughly 18 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
  • Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6–7.2, 2–15 dGH.
  • Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
  • Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

  • Setup: “Use a substrate of fine sand and provide shelter in the form of smooth rocks and chunks of bogwood.”
  • Diet: “Will accept most sinking dried foods, as well as small live and frozen varieties such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and chopped earthworm.”
  • Tankmates: “Very peaceful and suitable for many community tanks.”
  • Breeding: “No captive breeding information is available, but it can probably be bred in a similar fashion to many other Corydoras species.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Corydoras and armored catfish

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Shallow South American streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

  • Soft sand substrate, groups of six or more, and clean water.

Sources 117119164118

Diet

  • Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.

Sources 117119164118

Social life

  • Keep in groups.

Sources 117119164118

Health watch

  • Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.

Sources 117119164118

Understanding the animal

About this animal

About this animal

This species is found in the Lower Amazon River basin in Brazil. The fish grows up to 2.4 inches (6.1 centimeters) in length.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Brochis reticulata” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1

Where it livesLives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter.
Water it lives inFreshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 2–25 dH.
ClimateTropical climate.
Behavior to plan forBreeding: brood hiders.

What this means for care

  • Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
  1. FishBase species summary: Corydoras reticulatus
Native climate (measured)

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highsabout 89°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lowsabout 70°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature78–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity82–84% on average (driest month about 79%)
Rainfallabout 2548 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 13 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

OverviewBrochis reticulata, also called the reticulated corydoras, mosaic corydoras, network catfish, or network corydoras, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging the family Callichthyidae, the armored catfishes, and the subfamily Corydoradinae, the corys. This species is found in the Lower Amazon River basin in Brazil. The fish grows up to 2.4 in in length. It lives in a tropical climate in water with a 6.0–8.0 pH, a water hardness of 2–25 dGH, and a temperature range of 72–79 F. It feeds on worms, benthic crustaceans, insects, and plant matter. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it livesHome ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
ReproductionThe female holds 2-4 eggs between her pelvic fins, where the male fertilizes them for about 30 seconds. Only then the female swims to a suitable spot, where she attaches the very sticky eggs. The pair repeats this process until about 100 eggs have been fertilized and attached. — FishBase
BiologyFacultative air-breathing; Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources2.4in
FishBase 1642.4
Seriously Fish species profiles 1672.4

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources72–79°F
FishBase 16472–79
Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–79

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources6–7.6
FishBase 1646–8
Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–7.2

Water hardness

Average of sources2–20dGH
FishBase 1642–25
Seriously Fish species profiles 1672–15

Minimum tank footprint

Reported24in
Seriously Fish species profiles 16724

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 15 in (about 18 US gallons).

Sources for this sheet

  1. FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
  2. Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
  3. Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
  4. Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
  5. Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
  6. Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.