Corydoras catfish, Brochis catfish and Aspidoras catfish are very similar when it comes to breeding, and we have therefore chosen to include them in the same article. When it comes to the general welfare of your fish, it is naturally always a good idea to obtain species specific information as well. Remember, the key to successful spawning is to keep your fish happy and healthy all the time – not only when you want them to spawn.
Breeding Corydoras catfish
Housing a big group of Corydoras catfish together is known to increase the chances of spawning. Wild caught Corydoras can sometime be reluctant to spawn in captivity. When spawning Corydoras from the wild it is therefore quite common to keep them with captive bred specimens and hope that the captive bred ones will get the wild caught specimens “in the mood”. Some breeders are very reluctant to do this since it can lead to mixes between wild caught specimens and fish that has been captive bred for several generations.
A steady water current that is not for violent is recommended if you want to spawn Corydoras catfish. The pH should be kept below 7.0 at all times, and supreme water quality and frequent water changes are of vital importance. Keep in mind that the water temperature should be kept in the lower part of their preferred temperature range. Water changes should ideally be carried out using water that is somewhat cooler that the water in your aquarium.
As soon as the female Corydoras show signs of being ready to breed, you should provide them with plenty of nutritious live or frozen food. Do not try to save a few bucks by waiting; the longer you wait the harder it will be to induce breeding. Black worms are popular since they are known to induce breeding. They must however be combined with really frequent water changes. Also keep in mind that feeding your catfish Black worms is by no means a “quick fix” that can amend for other problems in the aquarium.
Breeding Brochis catfish
Brochis catfish is generally regarded as harder to spawn than Corydoras catfish and Aspidoras catfish. Spawning Brochis catfish is however far from impossible, as long as you are willing to do some research and devote some time and energy to the project. You should for instance be aware that Brochis can grow quite large as adults and must be given a large enough aquarium in order to breed. They are normally at least one year old before they spawn for the first time and several inches long.
If you are interested in spawning Brochis catfish, you should ideally keep a big group together in the same aquarium. Generally speaking, captive bred Brochis catfish are easier to spawn in captivity than wild caught ones. If you want to induce breeding in wild caught specimens, you can keep them together with captive bred ones and hope that they will be triggered by the captive raises ones.
A steady, medium-strong water current is a good idea if you want to spawn Brochis catfish.
The pH should be acidic; slightly under pH 7.0. Keep the water temperature in the lower end of the preferred water temperature, since warm environment can make the fish reluctant to breed. Frequent water changes are also important; the water quality must be kept up at all times. When doing a water change, use water that is slightly cooler than the water in your aquarium.
Conditioning your Brochis females using live or frozen food is really important. As soon as the females ripen, they should be placed on this diet. Brochis catfish is fond of Black worms and feeding them Black worms is known to trigger spawning. Black worms should however be used with caution and they will not guarantee “instant breeding”. Always make sure that the Black worms aren’t allowed to pollute the water.
Breeding Aspidoras catfish
Just like the two catfish species described above, Aspidoras catfish are less reluctant to breed when kept in a large group. If you have wild caught Aspidoras catfish that refuses to spawn, you can try keeping them with captive bred specimens. Captive bred specimens are more eager to spawn in aquariums and their behaviour can induce breeding in wild caught specimens. This technique is however frowned upon by many breeders since it can lead to “impure” mixes.
If you want to breed Aspidoras catfish, the aquarium should ideally have a regular, moderate current. Keep the pH-value under 7.0. since alkaline water can hamper spawning in Aspidoras catfish. The water temperature should be kept in the lower range, since high water temperatures can make the Aspidoras catfish reluctant to spawn. Ideally keep the temperature under 78 degrees F (25.5 degrees C.) When you perform a water change, the new water can preferably be somewhat colder than the water in the aquarium.
Proper food is a key element when spawning Aspidoras catfish. As soon as the females ripen, they should be given plenty of live or frozen food. Black worms are commonly used to coax Aspidoras catfish into breeding, but they should be used with caution. All other perimeters must be ideal; you can not force unhealthy or unsatisfied catfish to spawn simply by feeding them vast amounts of Black worms. Black worms can pollute the water in your aquarium and very frequent water changers are therefore a must.
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