Super Schwartzi Hoplisoma

Remarks:   Super Schwartzi Hoplisoma are a beautifully patterned Corydoradinae from Brazil. They have a black "mask" over their eyes and their bodies are typically gray or silver with two black, horizontal lines running along their flanks. What makes them really stand out in the aquarium, however, is their bright white pectoral and dorsal spines. They look similar to B. pulcher but differ in that the latter has a longer, more pointed snout. They also look a lot like H. schwartzi that also has a similar name. What sets them apart is that H. schwartzi has more broken up lines that tend to be a series of dots rather than stripes and the super Schwartzi Hoplisoma have brighter white spines. In the wild, they can be found in the clear, fairly fast moving waters of the Rio Purus in Peru and do best in the aquarium if these conditions are replicated through frequent water changes and heavy oxygenation. 

The super Schwartzi Hoplisoma was previously classified as Corydoras sp. CW028, but was reclassified as Hoplisoma sp. CW028 upon publication of a phylogenomic analysis in 2024 that reclassified many species in the Corydoradinae subfamily.

  Corydoradinae are small, peaceful catfish that are active shoalers and will stay near conspecifics, making for a lovely sight. They feed by searching through sand with their barbels, making such a substrate necessary for their long-term health. Gravel substrates tend to be abrasive and damage the barbels, leading to infections and an inability to find food.

  While these friendly catfish are willing to swim with other species of Corydoradinae different from their own, this does not provide the same social need as being kept with members of their own species. Because of this, it is highly recommended to keep at least six of each species of Corydoradinae present in the aquarium and only mix species if one has the space to keep at least six of each.

  Corydoradinae are often looked at as "scavengers," but they should be treated in a similar fashion as the rest of your fish. They are omnivores and require a mixed diet. Sinking prepared foods are readily accepted, as are frozen and live foods such as brine shrimp, blackworms, and bloodworms.