Home / Fishes / Catfish / Leopard corydoras
No federal permit to keepLeopard corydoras
Corydoras julii
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)
Hoplisoma julii, the julii cory or leopard catfish, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae, the corys, of the family Callichthyidae, the armoured catfishes.
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 / 5.2 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–79°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.
- 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, 68–79 °F, pH 5.5–7.5, 2–12 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 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
This catfish is found in the Parnaíba River basin, in the states of Ceará, Piauí and Maranhão, as well as in the coastal basins of Maranhão and the lower Amazon River. This species may be endemic to the Maranhão-Piauí ecoregion.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Hoplisoma julii” (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. Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–79 °F (23–26 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 2–25 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 91°F (up to 94°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 66°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 77–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 77–84% on average (driest month about 73%) |
| Rainfall | about 1890 mm a year |
Measured at 36 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 | Hoplisoma julii, the julii cory or leopard catfish, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae, the corys, of the family Callichthyidae, the armoured catfishes. This catfish is found in the Parnaíba River basin, in the states of Ceará, Piauí and Maranhão, as well as in the coastal basins of Maranhão and the lower Amazon River. This species may be endemic to the Maranhão-Piauí ecoregion. However, there are records of the species in streams of northeastern Pará, in the Maracanã and Marapanim River basins. — 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 | Hoplisoma julii, like almost all Hoplisoma species, are bottom-feeding scavengers. Their diet consists primarily of small invertebrates which they sift from the substrate, expelling the particles of sand and sediment through their gill openings. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Breeding takes place in swamps, ponds, or streams. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Hoplisoma julii is a relatively small species of fish, growing to be no more than 5.2 cm in length. Its skin is a translucent whitish-gray, with fine black spotting across the body and a horizontal stripe which reaches up the mid-body until it is equal with the front base of the dorsal fin. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. — FishBase |
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.
More corydoras and armored catfish
Adolfo's catfish
Corydoras adolfoi
Aquarium hobby
Agassiz's corydoras
Corydoras agassizii
Aquarium hobby
Amanda Jane's cory
Corydoras amandajanea
Aquarium hobby
Aspidoras taurus
Aspidoras taurus
Aquarium hobby
Banded corydoras
Scleromystax barbatus
Aquarium hobby
Bandit corydoras
Corydoras melini
Aquarium hobby