Adolfo's Cory
Hoplisoma adolfoi
Callichthyidae
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About
Adolfo's cory is a strikingly marked dwarf catfish from a handful of small tributaries of the upper Rio Negro near Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira in Brazil, where the water is extremely soft and acidic. A black bandit mask through the eye, a rust-orange blaze over the nape and a black stripe along the back make it one of the most sought-after Corydoras. It is routinely sold interchangeably with the near-identical C. duplicareus, whose body bar is broader and nape patch more intense - but those cues are not reliable, and the only dependable difference, serrations on the rear edge of the pectoral spine, is close to invisible without magnification. It reaches about 6 cm, noticeably larger than the panda or pygmy corys it sits beside on the shop shelf. The 2024 revision of the subfamily moved it from Corydoras into the resurrected genus Hoplisoma, so older books and most shop labels still call it Corydoras adolfoi — same fish, same care.
Care
Keep at least 6 - and preferably 8-10 - over soft sand in soft, acidic, well-oxygenated water below 26 °C. Groups this size are not a nicety: single or paired fish hide, stop feeding and fade. Never keep it over sharp gravel, which wears the barbels away.
Diet
Omnivorous bottom feeder. Offer sinking pellets, crushed wafers and frozen or live bloodworm and daphnia; make sure food actually reaches the substrate.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (208)
Possible with care (148)
Avoid (62)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Width from aboveStrong · from about 8 months, once they are adult-sized
Corydoras are sexed from directly above, never from the side. Look down at the group while they rest on the sand.
- Bristles and cheek spinesA hint only · from about a year
Male plecos grow odontodes — spiny growths on the cheeks and along the leading pectoral rays. Bristlenose males additionally grow branching tentacles across the snout and over the top of the head.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Health
Disease guide entries relevant to this species — worth a read before you reach for medicine.
The full disease guide →Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Adolfo's Cory need?
- A Adolfo's Cory needs an aquarium of at least 70 litres (18.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Adolfo's Cory need?
- Adolfo's Cory does best at 20–26 °C (68–78.8 °F), pH 4–7.5 and a general hardness of 1–10 °dGH.
- What group size does a Adolfo's Cory need?
- Adolfo's Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Adolfo's Cory suitable for beginners?
- Adolfo's Cory sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.