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No federal permit to keepRust corydoras
Corydoras rabauti
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)
Osteogaster rabauti, also known as the rust corydoras, or Rabaut's corydoras is a small species of tropical freshwater armoured catfish native to the Upper Amazon, Solimões, and Rio Negro basins in South America.
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 2.0 in / 5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–77°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 35 × 12 in (roughly 21 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–81 °F, pH 5.5–7.2, 1–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Ideally use a substrate of fine sand, although rounded gravel is an acceptable alternative provided that it is kept scrupulously clean.”
- Breeding: “Can 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
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.
Diet
- Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.
Social life
- Keep in groups.
Health watch
- Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It was first described by the American ichthyologist Francesca Raimonde La Monte in 1941, and is frequently seen in the aquarium trade.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Osteogaster rabauti” (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 lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–77 °F (23–25 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 2–25 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: brood hiders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 63°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 82–83% on average (driest month about 79%) |
| Rainfall | about 2594 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.
| Overview | Osteogaster rabauti, also known as the rust corydoras, or Rabaut's corydoras is a small species of tropical freshwater armoured catfish native to the Upper Amazon, Solimões, and Rio Negro basins in South America. It was first described by the American ichthyologist Francesca Raimonde La Monte in 1941, and is frequently seen in the aquarium trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home 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 |
| Wild diet | Osteogaster rabauti is an omnivore, and primarily feeds on zoobenthos, such as small worms, crustaceans, and insects; as well as freshwater detritus and plant matter. In the aquarium, it will readily accept most sinking dry foods, as well as live or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, and Tubifex worms. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Behavior | Osteogaster rabauti is a peaceful and gregarious fish, and well-suited to a community aquarium. Care should be taken not to house them with aggressive fish, as they may get harmed by O. rabautis venomous spines if they try to nip them. An unusual behavior that Osteogaster rabauti exhibits is occasionally rising to surface of the water and taking in gulps of air before submerging. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | The 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 |
| Appearance and size | Osteogaster rabauti is a small species of catfish, with adults typically growing to a length of 55 mm to 65 mm. It is sexually dimorphic, with sexually mature females tending to grow larger, broader, and deeper-bodied than males. As with all corys, O. rabauti is completely scaleless, and is instead covered with bony plates known as scutes. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | Osteogaster rabauti is known and sold by a wide variety of common names, including the rust corydoras, Rabaut's corydoras, Myers's corydoras, dwarf corydoras, iridescent corydoras, orange-red corydoras, Rabaut's catfish, rusty cory, Rabaut's cory, and iridescent cory. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | It has not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List, and is of no interest to commercial fisheries. It is, however, frequently seen in the aquarium trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
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
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
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 35 × 12 in (about 21 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- 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.
- 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.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- 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.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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