rene wrote in message
m...
i want to start breeding sterbai. athough i have been reading quite a
bit about it, i still have a few questions, can anyone help?
how old (or long) does a sterbai have to be minimum to be able to
breed? what are specific requirements for the breedingtank: do i use
the water from the original aquarium? what's the best hardiness for
the water in the breedingtank? is it supposed to be dark in the
breedingtank (or can i watch them go?)?
i hope someone can help!! thanks, rene

For a first attempt at spawning Corydoras, the C. sterbai is a toughie. Its
close look a like, C. haroldschultzi has different needs, so you will have
to be sure of which one you have.
Many of the not so often bred Cory's are usually wild caught, and have not
made the multi-generational adjustment to aquarium life. That means their
biological processes are geared to a seasonal spawning period of roughly
December to early April.
Normal maintenance requires soft (15 dGH or a bit lower), clean water of pH
6.5-7.0, and a temperature of 70-77ºF. Live foods are very beneficial.
A generalization for spawning Cory's is they need a slight temperature drop
with a larger water change to help induce spawning. You should be able to
find more information on sites like:
www.planetcatfish.com
If your catfish do spawn, they will be oblivious to your presence and you
can watch the whole event. Given the difficulty of spawning C. sterbai, I
would suggest you try C. paleatus, or C. aeneus. Both of these are very
well suited to aquarium life, spawn year round, are very easy to sex, and
your chances of success are much, much better than C. sterbai.
Best of luck.

Jim