Poecilus shield skin

Aspidoras poecilus

Also known as Aspidoras cory, Poecilus cory

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Shoaling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Xingu, Araguaia and Tocantins basins, Brazil
Family: Callichthyidae

Overview

The poecilus shield skin is a tiny, active catfish very like a cory but a touch smaller and busier, and like a cory it needs a shoal, so keep at least six together. It spends its time on the bottom in a group, constantly foraging over the substrate, and gains confidence from numbers. It is entirely peaceful and belongs in a calm community with other small, gentle fish. Because it is so small, it fits a tank of around 54 liters or more, but only over a soft sand floor that protects its barbels. Give it wood, gentle plants, and shade for cover. Offer small sinking foods, crushed wafers, and fine frozen items, and choose a feeding spot where they reach the bottom for it to find.

In the wild

This shield-skin catfish comes from clearwater rivers of central Brazil, in the upper Xingu, Araguaia, and Tocantins basins, where it lives in shoals over sand and fine gravel in gently flowing, warm water. Recreate that with warm water from about 22 to 26 C and a slightly acidic to neutral pH between roughly 6.0 and 7.5. Fine sand is essential so it can sift the bottom without damaging its barbels, and a scatter of driftwood, leaf litter, and soft planting gives cover. Clean, steady, well-filtered water keeps this small, sensitive fish healthy.

Good to know

Aspidoras poecilus is a shield-skin catfish in the family Callichthyidae, closely related to the corydoras but placed in its own genus. It stays small, around 4 centimeters, and is set apart by details of the skull, including a divided opening in the bony plating on top of the head where a cory has a single one. The name Aspidoras means shield skin, for the armor of bony plates along the body. Breeding is of moderate difficulty and follows the same cupped-fin, egg-sticking pattern as its cory cousins.

Did you know

The genus name Aspidoras means shield skin, a nod to the two rows of overlapping bony plates that armor the flanks of these little catfish in place of ordinary scales.

Tank mates

Poecilus shield skin is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.