Breeding the armoured catfish
The male builds a bubble nest of saliva-coated bubbles under a large leaf or floating plants and guards the eggs.
Step by step
Rarely bred in home tanks; large farms use hormone-induced spawning.
A large tank with caves, soft flow and stable parameters.
Seasonal water changes; commercial breeders use hormones.
Up to about 120 eggs, hatching in 4-6 days.
Fry take infusoria then brine shrimp nauplii; they grow quickly if fed well.
- Poor water quality
- Mixing with much smaller fish
Male or female
Males are brighter (blue or violet sheen) with a longer, thicker, orange-edged pectoral spine, and their belly turns orange when breeding; females are larger and duller olive.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for bubble-nest builders
- 10 days beforeCondition and introduce
Feed well, then let the female see the male through glass before putting them together.
- Day 0Spawning under the nest
The male wraps the female and places eggs in the nest. Remove the female after spawning.
- Day 2Eggs hatch
Eggs hatch in 24–48 hours. The male catches falling fry and returns them to the nest.
- Day 4Free swimming
Remove the male. Feed infusoria and keep the air above the water warm and humid.
- Day 10Baby brine shrimp
Move on to baby brine shrimp and microworms. Change small amounts of water daily.
- Day 56Separate males
Males start fighting at about 8 weeks and need their own jars.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Feed well, then let the female see the male through glass before putting them together.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
- Corydoras usually need a big, cooler water change (like rain) to start spawning.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.