TankBud

Sychr's catfish

Brochis sychri

Also known as Corydoras sychri

FreshwaterFish

Sychr's catfish (Brochis sychri)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1.7 in
4.3 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Peru

Overview

Sychr's catfish is a small, peaceful cory that forages over the sandy bottom with its barbels. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Sychr's catfish is a long-snouted cory, yet it is easily muddled with the round-snouted fairy cory, Corydoras atropersonatus. The two swim in the very same river, along with a cluster of other near-identical cories.

Caring for the Sychr's catfish

Keep Sychr's catfish in a group of at least six so they stay confident. A group settles well in a warm tank of 16 gal (60 L) or larger, with a soft sand bed to sift. Add driftwood, dried leaves and shaded planting.

Keep the water clean and gently moving, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Change water regularly to keep these small cories healthy. Feed sinking pellets, frozen daphnia and bloodworm, and crushed wafers, making sure enough reaches the substrate.

Sychr's catfish is peaceful and suits a calm community of small fish that will not crowd the floor. Reliable aquarium spawning is not well documented. Cories of this type lay sticky eggs that the female carries briefly between her pelvic fins, then attaches to firm surfaces.

Good to know

Sychr's catfish is a small armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae. It is finely spotted, with a dark eye mask, and two rows of bony plates armor each flank.

In the wild

Sychr's catfish lives in the Rio Nanay in Peru, a soft, warm tributary of the upper Amazon. The river's water is stained with tannins to the color of tea.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Sychr's catfish is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Sychr's catfish need?

A Sychr's catfish needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Sychr's catfish need?

A Sychr's catfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Sychr's catfish eat?

Sychr's catfish eats sinking pellets, frozen daphnia and bloodworm, and crushed wafers. Make sure enough food reaches the substrate.

How big does a Sychr's catfish get?

An adult Sychr's catfish reaches about 1.7 in (4.3 cm).

Does a Sychr's catfish need a group?

Yes. A Sychr's catfish is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a Sychr's catfish breed?

Sychr's catfish has no well-documented record of spawning in aquaria. Cories of its type lay sticky eggs, which the female carries briefly between her pelvic fins before attaching them to firm surfaces.

Related species