How To Breed Sterbai Corydoras
How to Breed Sterbai Corydoras: A Peaceful Catfish Breeding Guide
Sterbai Corydoras are one of the most popular cory catfish in the aquarium hobby. Known for their striking white-spotted bodies and orange-tinted pectoral fins, they’re peaceful, hardy, and social—making them a fantastic choice for both display tanks and breeding projects.
With the right conditions and a bit of patience, Sterbai Corys will reward you with charming spawning behavior and adorable baby catfish.
Selecting and Conditioning a Breeding Group
To start, assemble a healthy group of six or more Sterbai Corydoras. This increases the likelihood of having both males and females and encourages natural schooling and breeding behavior. Males tend to be slimmer and slightly smaller than females, who become rounder and heavier when full of eggs.
Feed the group a protein-rich diet for at least a week before attempting to trigger spawning. Use live or frozen foods like bloodworms, blackworms, and daphnia to condition them.
Creating the Ideal Breeding Environment
Sterbai Corys prefer warm, soft water, especially during spawning. A tank temperature around 78–82°F (25–28°C) is ideal. A bare-bottom or sand-bottom tank with soft, acidic water (pH 6.0–7.2) and gentle filtration is perfect. Provide broad-leaf plants, smooth rocks, or aquarium glass where the female can lay eggs.
Dim lighting, driftwood, and leaf litter can help simulate a more natural, stress-free environment.
Triggering Spawning Behavior
In the wild, Sterbai Corys breed during rainy seasons, and you can simulate this by performing a large, slightly cooler water change. This drop in temperature mimics rain and often triggers spawning within a day or two—especially if the fish have been well-fed.
Watch for the classic cory “T-position,” where the male fertilizes the eggs held by the female. She will then swim off to carefully place the fertilized eggs on flat, smooth surfaces like tank glass or decor.
Caring for Eggs and Hatching Fry
Sterbai Corys can lay anywhere from 30 to over 100 eggs per spawn. The eggs are adhesive and will stick where placed. You can choose to leave them in the tank and remove the adults, or carefully move the eggs to a separate hatching container.
To prevent fungus, consider adding a drop or two of methylene blue and using a small air stone to keep water circulating gently. Eggs will typically hatch in 3 to 5 days, depending on temperature.
Feeding and Raising the Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and will need very fine food at first. Start with infusoria, powdered fry food, or liquid fry solutions. After a few days, introduce baby brine shrimp or microworms to promote healthy growth.
Keep the water clean and perform small, frequent water changes. A sponge filter is ideal, as it provides both oxygenation and a safe surface for fry to graze on.
As the fry grow, you’ll begin to see the characteristic Sterbai patterns form. Within a few weeks, they’ll resemble miniatures of the adults and can eventually join your main tank or grow-out setup.
Final Thoughts
Sterbai Corydoras are not only beautiful but also relatively easy to breed with the right approach. Their peaceful nature and engaging spawning behavior make them a joy to work with, and raising a school of healthy, homebred Sterbais is a deeply satisfying experience. With patience, quality care, and a bit of environmental tuning, you'll be well on your way to a thriving colony of these striking catfish.
