Edit Hoplisoma panda

You can suggest changes to this profile. A moderator will review each change.

Name

Scientific name

Hoplisoma panda

Described by

Bracketed

Family

Callichthyidae

Summary

The panda cory, Hoplisoma panda, long known as Corydoras panda, is an armoured catfish from the upper Amazon in Peru, named for dark and li…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

50mm, standard length

Tank size

Minimum length 45 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Minimum height 30 cm

Water

Temperature and pH

Temperature 22–25°C, pH 6–7.4

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not recorded

Where it lives

Countries

Not recorded

Supporting text

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

Native to parts of the upper Amazon in Peru. You'll find it difficult to get hold of wild specimens these days, though. Virtually all of the fish entering the …

Habitat

Inhabits both clear and blcakwater streams and tributaries, often flowing over sandy substrates. Many of these are fed with meltwater run-off from the snow-cap…

Aquarium size

A tank measuring 45 ∗ 30 ∗ 30 cm18 ∗ 12 ∗ 12 in - ~41 litres~11 US gal is adequate for a small group of these.

Maintenance

Hoplisoma panda will thrive in a tank set up to replicate an Amazon biotope. This would be very simple to arrange. Use a substrate of river sand and add a few …

Hoplisoma panda will thrive in a tank set up to replicate an Amazon biotope. This would be very simple to arrange. Use a substrate of river sand and add a few driftwood branches (if you can't find driftwood of the desired shape, common beech is safe to use if thoroughly dried and stripped of bark) and twisted roots. A few handfuls of dried leaves (again beech can be used, or oak leaves are also suitable) would complete the natural feel. Aquatic plants are not a feature of this species' natural waters. Allow the wood and leaves to stain the water the colour of weak tea, removing old leaves and replacing them every few weeks so they don't rot and foul the water. A small net bag filled with aquarium-safe peat can be added to the filter to aid in the simulation of black water conditions. Use fairly dim lighting.

Alternatively, it also does well in a more standard, preferably well-planted tank. A good maintenance regime is essential with this species as it's sensitive to deteriorating water conditions. As with all corys, don't use undergravel filtration and ensure the substrate is kept scrupulously clean. These cats are sensitive to poorly-maintained or dirty substrates and can lose their barbels if kept in poor conditions.

Editing needs JavaScript. This is the text as it was last saved.

Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the profileFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

Paste the address of the page that says this. What counts as a source

DOI

Paste a DOI and we will look up the rest of the reference. A DOI looks like 10.11646/zootaxa.4694.4.1, and most papers print it on the first page.

Title

Enter the title of the paper, book or page. If you leave it empty, we will use the website's address.

Authors

Separate authors with semicolons, e.g. Tan, H.H.; Ng, P.K.L.

Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

Enter the page that says this, e.g. 218 or 218–221.

Anything worth adding

Describe what you saw, or which part of the source says this.

Water conditions

Temperature: Wild fish prefer lower temperatures but tank-bred specimens are happy over the range 72 to 77°F (22 to 25°C). It won't do well if kept in warmer w…

Diet

Omnivorous and easy to feed. Use a good quality sinking pellet or tablet as the staple diet. Supplement this with live and frozen foods such as Daphnia, Artemi…

Behaviour and compatibility

Very peaceful and suitable for many community tanks. Don't keep it with anything very large or aggressive. Good tankmates include small characins, cyprinids, a…

Sexual dimorphism

Best sexed from above female will have more rounded belly and is likely to be slightly larger.

Reproduction

Can be bred in a similar fashion to many other Corydoras species. Set up the breeding tank (18" x 12" x 12" or similar is a good size), with either a bare bott…

Notes

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish gener…

References

No references

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Tank size

Water

Temperature and pH

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries

Supporting text

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References