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cleromystax lacerdai was described by Harro Hieronimus in 1995 as Corydoras lacardai from the Rio Terre Firme and subsequent collections thereafter have found this species also in the Rio Cahy, in Prado and the Rio Pardo in Canavieiras all in the Bahia state. Before it was described it was given the C-number of C015.

Scleromystax lacerdai - male

The shame of this lovely small Scleromystax species is that it is now endangered in the wild and we may not see them at all in the future due to deforestisation in their local habitats, that is why we need to keep it alive in the hobby for future generations. The remaining populations, if there is any, are located between the cities of Canavieras and Ilheus in Bahia. There is also another species from the Bahia State that also resembles S. lacardai.

Scleromystax lacerdai - female

Eggs - 1.8mm

Scleromystax lacerdai - 4 weeks old

The genus Scleromystax belongs to lineage 3 and are more closely related to the Aspidoras genera from lineage 2 rather than the Corydoras. If there was a revision carried out on the Corydoradinae in the future they would remain so, with the designated type species S. barbatus (Günther, 1864).

Baianinho Cory, C015

Corydoras lacerdai

Corydoradinae

South America: Brazil; Ribeira da Terra Firme River, Bahia.

Male: 5.0cm (2ins) Female: 5.5cm (2¼ins)

22-25°C (71-77°F)

6.0-7.2.

Head shape elongated with extended snout. A wide dark band extends along the position of the spinal cord and reaches almost to the ridge on the back on males with the females having this band broken up into an uneven bar pattern. Another band extends along the ridge of the back from the front of the dorsal fin to the base of the caudal fin. There is a thin band in the belly region which runs from the pectoral fin to the adipose fin. A further band extends from the eye to the tip of the snout.

The body is sandy coloured. The dorsal fin rays are banded black and white, and the spine and the first ray have a black colouration. The dark bands along the body are coloured black in specimens in good condition plus when in breeding condition.

As with most members of the Callichthyidae they are peaceful. The Scleromystax genera are good additions to "cool water" aquarium set ups with maybe other cool water fish such as White Cloud Mountain Minnows and other fish that are comfortable with a temperature around the 70°f (21.5°c) mark. Other "cool water" species such as small barbs and the aforementioned White Cloud Mountain Minnows would be good additions to your aquarium, but if you are lucky enough to purchase S. lacardai I would keep them on their own in a small aquarium for breeding purposes.

The first spawning of S. lacardai was successfully carried out in 1998 by fellow Scottish catfish aquarist Jim Makin and the authors S. lacerdai parents came from this line. The author has also bred this species and at present is keeping them going again. They breed in the usual Corydoradinae fashion with t-positioning and laying their eggs high up in the aquarium walls. The fry have been fed firstly on Liquifry for egglayers then on to micro worm and then to crushed flake carried out using a pestle and mortice which can crush the flake to a fine powder. For further reading material on breeding the various members of the Corydoradinae sub family go to the breeding section of the website here.

A wide dark band extends along the position of the spinal cord and reaches almost to the ridge on the back on males with the females having this band broken up into an uneven bar pattern. The females also grow larger and have a wider girth.

As with other members of the Corydoradinae they relish tablet and good quality flake food with frozen bloodworm a firm favourite. They are also keen on chopped earthworms and other worm foods such as white worm used sparingly, and grindal worm.

Adipose fin: Fleshy finlike projection without rays, behind the rayed dorsal fin.
Caudal fin: The tail.
Dorsal fin: The primary rayed fin(s) on top of the body.
Pectoral fins: The paired fins just behind the head.

Scleromystax: From the Greek "sclero" meaning hard and the Latin "mystax" meaning moustache.
lacardai: Dedicated to Mr. Marco T.C. Lacerda.

Alexandrou, Markos & Taylor, Martin. (2011). Evolution, ecology and taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited.
Encyclopædia Britannica
Ian A. M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers (2011). Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Ian Fuller Enterprises.
McLure, Rob. pers comm.
ScotCat Article: Makin, J. Observations of Three Species of the Genus Corydoras
Seus, Werner, Corydoras. The most popular armoured catfishes of South America. Dähne Verlag, Ettlingen GmbH. 1993 218p.

Photo Credits

Images: © Allan James @
Map: © www.britannica.com