hours with some 10- to 15-minute rests between egg releases. Around 7 to 15 eggs are spawned in a single day, and spawning occurs on three to four consecutive days. A total of 30 to 60 eggs may be spawned by a single female over this period of time. The eggs hatch in three to nine days. The fry are about 6 mm long at hatching, mostly translucent but sometimes with spots. In two months, the fry average about 18 mm in length. The fry mature in six to eight months. In the aquarium The dwarf corydoras is of commercial importance in the aquarium trade industry. Due to its small size, this fish can be kept in a relatively small aquarium; a 5-gallon (20 litre) tank is sufficient for a small school. Since it is a schooling fish, it should only be kept in groups of at least six individuals. It is a good community tank fish when kept with peaceful tankmates such as tetras, rasboras, and danios, but should not be kept with overly aggressive tankmates. They have also been used as scavengers for fry tanks. The aquarium should be clean, well-aerated, and densely planted to provide hiding places. A moderate current provided by a power filter or canister filter is appreciated. The water should be slightly alkaline (pH about 7.6) within a temperature range of 24° to 29 °C. Although the fish is generally a mid-water dweller, a fine gravel or sand substrate should be provided since it will occasionally burrow. The fish will feed both in midwater or on a substrate, whether that substrate is a plant leaf, a broad rock, or the bottom of the tank. It accepts most foods, including freeze-dried, flake, and frozen foods, although live foods are particularly appreciated. The methods of spawning this fish in the aquarium is similar to spawning most other Corydoras species. The spawning tank can be as small as 2.5 gallons (10 L), but at least a 5-gallon (20 L) tank is recommended with aged water, a sponge filter and some plants. Fish should be conditioned with large amounts of live foods such as Tubifex and whiteworms, during which time the females will become noticeably plumper. Since C. hastatus may spawn as a school, the whole group can be conditioned for spawning at the same time, and for best results, there should be at least two males for