Care
The Long-nosed Fairy Cory is a beautiful catfish known from inland wetlands of the Nanay River Basin in Loreto, Peru.
This peaceful species is ideal for the mature softwater aquarium, and should be maintained in groups of 5 or more due to shoaling nature. Unfortunately, it can be a little prone to barbel infections/erosion, so it is of paramount importance that the fish are kept on a soft sand substrate (rather than gravel where waste can build up unseen) in order to protect these delicate sensory organs. Regular maintenance, including frequent partial water changes, should be carried out in order to keep these fish in good condition. Provide plenty of shady areas amongst driftwood, rocks, and areas of dense planting. Other peaceful species such as some of the smaller pencilfish, tetra, and rasboras make ideal tankmates, and their presence as dither fish in midwater will encourage the Corydoras out into view more often. Corys have the ability to breathe air intestinally, so a small gap should be left between the surface of the water and the cover slides in order for the fish to come up to the surface and take air in. It may do this numerous times per day.
May be confused with the similar-looking Brochis sp. C97, also from the Rio Nanay. However, in B. sychri, the head is longer and has a distinct angular profile, from dorsal surface to the top of the head above the eye, and then from there down to the snout. In some specimens, the snout may even look curved. Brochis sp. C97 has a much shorter and straighter head profile. sychri tends to have less well defined spotting compared to that of sp. C97, where the spots are much more distinct and fewer in number. Recent work on the previously enormous genus Corydoras has moved this species into Brochis, reflecting a close kinship despite some differences such as numbers of dorsal fin rays and a lack of senior synonyms used for the other groups/lineages of former Corydoras species. Further studies will probably result in this fish being placed in a new genus.
Feeding
Sinking catfish pellets, frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae and vitamin-enriched brineshrimp.
Breeding
There are currently no reports of this species having been bred in the home aquarium. However, it is likely to spawn in the typical Corydoras manner whereby following a large, slightly cool water change, a pair will adopt the classic T position with the male fertilising the eggs that are held between the females' pelvic fins.
