L076 and L099 appear to be the same species with the former exhibiting a darker diurnal colour pattern than the latter, though both appear similar at night.

This species was formerly included in the genus Brochis alongside C. britskii and C. multiradiatus, and is sometimes referred to as ‘common brochis’. Juveniles have a mottled colour pattern and are sometimes traded as ‘hi-fin cory’ due to their enlarged dorsal-fin.

C. splendens can be told apart from other ex-Brochis species by possession of 10-12 dorsal-fin rays…

The genus is included in the family Callichthyidae, of which members are often referred to collectively as ‘armoured’ or ‘mailed’ catfishes group due to the presence of bony plates in place of scales on the body.

Their taxonomy can be confusing, and numerous undescribed species are also thought to exist.

Gasteropelecids are commonly-referred to as ‘freshwater hatchetfishes’ due to their heavily-keeled body shape which has evolved in such a way due to possessing an enlarged, heavily-muscled pectoral girdle, and which resembles the shape of a hatchet head.

They are sometimes said to be capable of propelled flight above the water surface by beating their pectoral fins but in fact this is not the case and was disproven by Wiest (1995) who used…

This species is largely unsuitable for the home aquarium given its eventual size and natural behaviour, and we know of only a handful of private aquarists with the facilities required to house it long-term.

Nonetheless juveniles and subadults are sometimes available in the trade although often misidentified as the congener B. maculata.

Both species also possesses a broader dark midlateral stripe on the body which tends to be more well-defined in B. lateristriga than in B. maculata.

Colour pattern in B. maculata varies considerably with some specimens noticeably paler than others, for example, and the the broad midlateral stripe usually less intense in such individuals.

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It’s known by various vernacular names including ‘Pirá-pacu’, ‘Pira-pucu’ or ‘Diente de cao’ (central Amazon), ‘Bicuda’ or ‘Uena’ (rio Tocantins), ‘Bicuda’ (rio Tapajós), ‘Aguejeta’ or ‘Picua’ (Venezuela), and ‘Moruwi’ or ‘Pirapoko’ (Guyana).

The entire dorsal-fin base is located anteriorly to a vertical through the anal-fin origin and this character distinguishes it from all other ctenolucids except B. lucius and B. xyrekes.

This species is rare in the aquarium trade but is arguably more suitable for the home aquarium than some of its better-known relatives given its adult size and relatively docile behaviour.

Other vernacular names include ‘Dientón’ (Peru), ‘Perrito’ (Ecuador), ‘Payara-chata’ or ‘Payarin’ (Venezuela) and ‘Icanga’, ‘Minguilista’ or ‘Peice-cachorro’ (Brazil), some of which are also applied to related species.

Vernacular names in Brazil include ‘Cachorra’ or ‘Pirandirá’, although these are also applied to congeners.

It can be told apart from all congeners by the following combination of characters: head and body silvery with dark dorsal surface; an elongate dark blotch posterior to the opercle; dorsal, caudal and anal-fin rays reddish to orange proximally with some individual variation in intensity and tonality; adipose fin dark, with diffuse black pigmentation.

H. armatus should probably not be considered a home aquarium subject at all given its eventual size and migratory natural behaviour.

Unfortunately, juveniles are seen for sale quite regularly, most often without adequate information regarding their long-term care, and it’s common to see them being maintained in medium-sized aquaria with no possibility of achieving their potential.