WILD CAUGHT Corydoras robustus Rio Purus – One of South America’s Largest Armored Catfish

One of the largest species of armored catfish from South America, growing up to 4 inches! The Corydoras robustus – described by Nijssen & Isbrücker in 1980 and today placed in the genus Brochis – is a heavy-bodied giant among corys, and these are wild fish collected in the Rio Purus, a whitewater tributary of the middle Amazon in Brazil. Where most corydoras top out around two inches, this species reaches 7.1 cm standard length and close to four inches from snout to tail. A dark saddle sits beneath the dorsal fin, rows of fine dark spots run the length of a deep golden-olive body, and the caudal fin is boldly barred. Mature fish carry striking metallic gold patches across the gill covers and shoulders.

Corydoras robustus Key Features

• One of the Largest Armored Catfish: Reaches close to four inches in total length – several times the bulk of a common bronze or panda cory, with the heavy build the name robustus refers to.

• Rio Purus Locality: Collected in the Rio Purus, a whitewater tributary of the middle Amazon in Brazil. This is the species’ native basin, not a generic Amazon import.

• Golden Shoulder Patches: Adults develop bright metallic gold blotches across the gill covers and shoulders that catch the light as the fish forages – most visible on settled, well-fed fish.

• Genuine Wild Imports: Not commercially bred. Every Corydoras robustus in the hobby is a wild-caught fish, and large adults like these reach the market only occasionally.

• Peaceful Despite the Size: Big but entirely non-aggressive, and social – keep five or more so they forage as a group across the bottom rather than hiding.

Corydoras robustus Care Requirements

• Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons for a group of five. Bigger than the usual cory recommendation because these are substantially larger fish that need real floor area to forage.

• Water Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C). Keep them at the cooler end of tropical – the high-80s temperatures used for discus are too warm for this species long term.

• pH Range: 6.0–8.0, hardness 2–25 dGH. Wild fish come from soft whitewater, but the species is adaptable once acclimated and does not need extreme parameters.

• Diet: Omnivorous, with a large appetite to match the size. Sinking pellets and wafers form the base, supplemented with frozen bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp. They forage constantly along the bottom, so feed enough that food actually reaches the substrate.

• Tank Mates: Excellent with peaceful community fish that share their water parameters – cardinal tetras, rummynose tetras, angelfish and Apistogramma all work well. Their size means they are not at risk from larger tank mates the way small corys are.

Why Choose Our Corydoras robustus

Wild-caught corydoras arrive stressed after a long journey from the Amazon and need weeks of careful conditioning before they are stable enough to move on to a home aquarium. At Amazonia Tropical Fish LLC, our Corydoras robustus undergo a rigorous, multi-week quarantine process. They are prophylactically treated for internal and external parasites and are verified to be eating well before they are ever offered for sale. You are receiving premium, stabilized stock.

Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee

We safely ship these wild-caught corydoras nationwide from our US-based facility using specialized, insulated packaging. Every order is fully covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.