Home / Fishes / Catfish / Bandit corydoras

No federal permit to keep

Bandit corydoras

Corydoras melini

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

Corydoras melini, the bandit corydoras or false bandit catfish, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Beginner

Bandit corydoras — Photo: Frank M Greco, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Frank M Greco, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCorydoras and armored catfish

Adult lengthup to 2 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom

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: 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.

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 31 × 12 in (roughly 19 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Water: soft, acidic water, 68–79 °F, pH 4–7, 1–5 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 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

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 117 119 164 118

Diet

Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Social life

Keep in groups.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Health watch

Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the upper Rio Negro and Meta River basins in Brazil and Colombia. The fish will grow in length up to 2.0 inches (5.1 centimeters).

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Corydoras melini” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

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, 72–79 °F (22–26 °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, 72–79 °F.

FishBase species summary: Corydoras melini

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 88°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 69°F (down to 67°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	79–85% on average (driest month about 80%)
Rainfall	about 3222 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 20 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

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	Corydoras melini, the bandit corydoras or false bandit catfish, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the upper Rio Negro and Meta River basins in Brazil and Colombia. The fish will grow in length up to 2.0 in. 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 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
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

Data and studies

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 sources2in

FishBase 1642

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672

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 sources70–79°F

FishBase 16472–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16768–79

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

pH

Average of sources5–7.5

FishBase 1646–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1674–7

Water hardness

Average of sources1.5–15dGH

FishBase 1642–25

Seriously Fish species profiles 1671–5

Minimum tank footprint

Reported31in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16731

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 31 × 12 in (about 19 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on capture)
Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile

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.